Severe jaw pain, headaches, and facial aches as a result of TMJ disorder can have an immense impact on your day-to-day life, making basic tasks like focusing on work difficult. While other TMJ treatments provide relief over time by addressing the underlying cause of your condition, BOTOX offers near-immediate, temporary relief. Read on to learn how BOTOX can help treat symptoms of TMJD and provide you with the comfort you’ve been seeking.
How Does BOTOX for TMJ Therapy Work?
BOTOX is a diluted form of bacteria, called botulinum toxin, that has the ability to relax muscles. While it’s predominantly used to minimize the appearance of facial wrinkles and fine lines by smoothing out these tension-filled muscles, it can also be used to relax the ones surrounding the jaw joints to relieve discomfort.
BOTOX has been FDA-approved to be used by healthcare providers for a variety of treatments, and although it hasn’t been approved for TMJ therapy, studies have shown that it can help provide temporary relief. Just like if you were to receive BOTOX for cosmetic purposes, the positive effects of treatment begin to fade away after about three months, so you’ll need to keep up with the therapy.
What Types of Symptoms Can BOTOX Relieve?
TMJD has been known to cause a variety of uncomfortable treatments, many of which can be treated with BOTOX therapy, including:
- Headaches and migraines
- Neck and shoulder pain
- Sharp facial pain
- Bruxism, or the clenching and grinding of teeth
- Pain in and around the ears
- Swelling around the jaw joints
- Cheek soreness
Are There Any Risks to BOTOX for TMJ Therapy?
BOTOX is a non-invasive treatment that poses few risks. It’s injected using a very thin needle, and many report that they can hardly feel it when the BOTOX is being administered. Some after-effects that could occur include:
- Redness
- Slight bruising
- Muscle weakness
- General discomfort
- Nausea
If you have any concerns after your treatment, you can always reach out to your dentist to find out whether they’re typical.
The risks of BOTOX for TMJ therapy are minor in comparison to the relief that you’ll be able to experience from your discomfort, which is why countless patients utilize this solution to improve their daily life. Not only does the procedure only take a few moments, but it can truly offer life-changing relief.
About the Author
Dr. Christa Rizkallah has been working in the dental field since she was 16, first as a staff member, then as a dental assistant, and now, as a skilled dentist. Over the years, she has completed countless hours of continuing education, and is trained to administer both BOTOX and dermal fillers. She enjoys helping her patients find relief from their uncomfortable symptoms as well as enhance their facial appearance with these treatments, especially as they’re completely non-invasive, but provide outstanding results. For questions or to schedule an appointment, visit Devonshire Dental of Boston’s website or call 617-350-7474.