Botox treatments have been shown to alleviate bruxism, the condition more commonly known as teeth grinding. Botox teeth grinding treatment works by relaxing the jaw muscle sufficiently to reduce grinding symptoms while maintaining normal jaw and teeth action.
What Is Bruxism?
Bruxism is the medical term for teeth grinding and is typically accompanied by the clenching of the jaw. Bruxism is an oral condition that occurs in many people at some time in their lives. However it is not considered a health problem in most cases, often being a relatively mild and intermittent condition.
While bruxism may be a day or night activity, it is commonly recognised as a sleep disorder as it is during sleep that the majority of health issues can be caused. Bruxism is even known to occur during cat naps and gentle dozing.
Bruxism Symptoms
Bruxism is often an involuntary problem. It afflicts many people and is often exacerbated by stress. When teeth grinding occurs just at night, many people only realise they have the condition when they wake up and feel that their jaw is sore or notice teeth damage.
Bruxism symptoms can include:
- Headache
- Earache
- Facial pain
- Chipped teeth
- Chewed tissue
- Gum pain
- Toothache
- Masseter hypertrophy (enlarged jaw muscle)
- Muscle ache
- Problems eating
- Grinding noises
Botox is widely used to treat teeth grinding successfully, with minimal discomfort being the normal outcome.
teeth grinding treatment with botox
Botox (botulinum toxin type-A) is a commonly used medical treatment for bruxism which can be seen to lessen the effects of bruxism in a relatively short time. The treatment takes approximately ten to fifteen minutes, with results becoming apparent within five to ten days. The results will last for three to six months and, with repeated treatments, patients may find that their bruxism stops altogether.
How Botox For Bruxism Works
Botox is injected directly into the muscle to stop nerve impulses from reaching the muscle, thus preventing unwanted movement. By stopping muscle movement, patients will experience relief from jaw aches, soreness, pains and headaches. The Botox treatment involves the weakening of the muscle just enough to create a reduction of bruxism symptoms such as grinding and clenching. However, the main function of the masseter muscle remains unaffected.
Botox For Bruxism – Stop Teeth Grinding
Positive effects from the Botox treatment can be seen within ten days; however, a short course of injections may be required for a more permanent effect, as well as updated treatments throughout the year. In all cases, patients will be advised on the course of treatments to best suit their needs. Botox cannot be expected to provide a complete or instant cure for bruxism, although it has been proven to decrease and alleviate the damage and pain associated with it, leading to a high degree of patient satisfaction.
High Risk Groups
Some groups are at higher risk for bruxism, including people with sleep disorders, those who suffer from snoring and talking in their sleep or make aggressive movements during sleep, and sleep walkers. Smokers and those with a high alcoholic intake and stressful lifestyles are at greater risk. Botox can still contribute to satisfactory relief for sufferers in all of these risk groups.
Botox For Bruxism Safety Advice
Botox may cause serious side effects that in rare circumstances can be life threatening. Call your doctor or get medical help immediately if you have any of these problems at any time after receiving botox injection treatments:
- Loss of strength
- Muscle weakness
- Double vision, blurred vision
- Drooping eyelids
- Hoarseness or loss of voice
- Trouble speaking
- Loss of bladder control
- Problems with breathing
- Swallowing problems
treatment with skin medical
At Skin Medical, the Botox procedure is only performed by doctors or qualified nurse prescribers. We only use FDA-approved Allergan botox, which has been rigorously tested for its safety and effectiveness and is regarded as the gold standard in botulinum toxin type-A. Our clinics are registered with and regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to ensure high standards of patient care. The consultation will be with the nurse or doctor who will perform the treatment. Patients will discuss their medical history and presenting problem, the treatment itself and expected outcomes, and will be given the opportunity to voice any concerns or questions. Patient satisfaction is our core concern.
