Bruxism | Teeth Grinding | Clenching
Advice

Will having treatment for my teeth grinding affect my ability to smile or chew?

No, The masseter (jaw) muscles are large and very strong so will not be paralysed by the small doses of Botox injected. However we usually start with lower doses initially and then top up as required. The masseter muscle is actually quite far away from any of the smile muscles. It’s important that you choose a practitioner who understands the anatomy of the face. You may notice slight muscle fatigue, early on, when chewing something very tough like a steak, or when chewing gum for instance, but this symptom is generally pretty minor if it occurs. In time the temporalis muscle usually compensates and this side-effect becomes a non-issue. If you are being treated to reduce the size of your jaw then chewing gum would actually defeat the purpose and it could even reduce the duration of the result.

Does the treatment hurt?

For most people, discomfort is usually minimal and brief, a similar sensation to a pin prick. No anaesthesia is required, although your botonics Practitioner may choose to numb the area with a cold pack or anaesthetic cream prior to injecting.

How old do I have to be to have this treatment?

We treat many different ages, but you need to be at least 18 years old or more.

What is the price for Botox injections to the masseter muscle?

When we first treat clients, they attend for two sessions spaced 4 – 8 weeks apart. The cost of both of these treatments is £700. This is sufficient to weaken the masseter muscles and reduce the symptoms. After that, clients attend for a maintenance treatment costing £500 when they feel their symptoms are beginning to return. This ranges from 4 – 12 months depending on the severity of the condition. Follow this link for a full list of bruxism/teeth grinding/jaw clenching prices.

After how many treatments will the results be permanent?

Botox will never result in a permanent change, but after a number of treatments you will notice a shrink in the muscles (atrophy), plus a reduction in the dose necessary; i.e you move on to the maintenance stage. Patients who have had around 3-4 Botox treatments per year for a number of years will generally have very little activity in the masseter muscle, even after the Botox has completely worn off.

How much Botox would I need?

A typical dose is 20-30 units on each side of the jaw. We often start with a slightly smaller dose and then increase, depending on the effect, as everyone is different and we need to see how the muscles will respond. Men generally need more Botox, in terms of quantity, as their jaw muscles are generally on the stronger side.