Bruxism is the medical name for tooth grinding, jaw clenching and the disabling pain that this produces. The latest medical research is beginning to explain how it is caused and how Botox can help.
The causes of Bruxism are complex, so it is important to explore all the factors causing it, otherwise you will not get the best from the Botox treatment. This is why I offer a full hour’s initial consultation as part of the first treatment appointment.
Bruxism can also be associated with migraines and headache, and indeed some of the pathways and mechanisms are very similar for both. A feedback loop between the sensory nerves measuring pressure and the motor nerves to the masseter muscle in the jaw that causes the clenching has information that is processed in a part of the Trigemino-Cervical Tract in the base of the brain, very close to the area involved in migraines
The initial consultation will go into the wider aspects of bruxism and discuss simple ways of helping to resolve the issue
Muscular pain in the jaw can be very disabling. Fortunately it can be treated with Botox as part of the cure. When injected correctly it relieves the pain partly by weakening the masseter muscle and partly by modifying the feedback loop mentioned above that causes the clenching. If there are also dental problems, these will have to be treated by your dentist.
Bruxism is often poorly understood by dentists who can sometimes fit inappropriate jaw splints that can sometimes make matters worse. However if the bruxism results in tooth grinding that wears the teeth away a tooth guard may be necessary. I am working with Mr Tim Sunnucks, a well respected dentist who has been working with bruxism patients for many years
The first step is to take a detailed medical history and establish what caused the bruxism to develop in the first place. Botox can then be administered to reduce the muscular spasm causing the pain. This will also reduce the tooth grinding that can damage the teeth while other specialist dental intervention can be managed by your dentist
Botox is also used in medical jawline reduction as a method of reducing the prominence of the masseter muscle, the big jaw muscle that allows you to chew food. This slims the angle of the jaw to make the face more oval and reduce the sense of squareness of the face
