If you notice yourself clenching your jaw while you’re sitting at your desk, in meetings or during your daily commute, or if you grind your teeth at night and often wake up with sore jaws or headaches, you may be experiencing bruxism.
Bruxism is the grinding, gnashing or clenching of teeth, and it’s quite common. Up to one-third of adults report regularly clenching their jaws while awake, and sleep bruxism, which happens at night, affects more than 1 in 10 adults.
In addition to jaw pain and headaches, bruxism can also damage your teeth, causing fractures or the wearing down of enamel over time. If you’ve talked to your dentist about stress relief or night guards but haven’t seen a change in your bruxism symptoms, then Botox injections may offer the relief — and relaxation — that you need.
Will Botox injections work for me?
Botox is an easy and effective treatment for bruxism and related facial pain. There is no recovery time associated with the treatment, and you can return to your daily routine immediately after your Botox injection.
Dr. Johnston will sometimes begin treatments by dry needling the trigger point areas in your jaw muscles. To do this, she will insert the tiny Comfortox needle without any medication in several places around the overactive muscle — many patients experience immediate relief! This is often a good indication that the Botox injections will be an effective treatment.
Are there other benefits to Botox injections?
Apart from relieving the pain and tightness associated with bruxism, Botox treatments have several beneficial “side effects.” For example, reducing the muscle activity in the jaw often results in a slimmer jawline, now that those muscles aren’t constantly contracting. Less clenching and grinding can also lead to fewer wrinkles and facial lines.
Call the office today to learn more and see if Botox is the right treatment to help you.
