TMJ and Botox
We have patients come to our office experiencing frequent headaches, jaw pain, orofacial pain or even earaches. This associated pain makes daily tasks like talking, eating, swallowing and others challenging and full of discomfort. For many, their temporomandibular joints – known commonly as TMJ – are inflamed or aching, which can be caused by a number of things, including:
- Grinding of the teeth
- Clenching jaw/lockjaw from stress
- Injury to jaw
- Dislocation
- And more
Our dental team is trained in diagnosing and treating TMJ disorders, which is important in determining an appropriate course of treatment. During an exam, our dentists can detect stiff joints, clicking or popping sensations, or misalignment and will learn more about what type of pain you have been experiencing and some of your lifestyle habits.
There are several ways to treat pain associated with TMJ, including but not limited to:
- Creating a nightguard to decrease night-related teeth grinding/pressure
- Exercises and techniques to strengthen the jaw
- Discussing certain foods and habits to avoid that may be impacting the TMJ area
- BOTOX
- And more
When BOTOX is offered as a potential treatment to orofacial/TMJ pain, patients often think of that as a way to enhance one’s face cosmetically. While BOTOX has cosmetic properties, it also has important uses in treating facial pain and bruxism cases by relieving jaw muscle tension and pain and relaxing the area, ultimately minimizing afflicting symptoms. BOTOX for TMJ disorders is done in a matter of minutes in our office by our dental team and patients can begin experiencing a relief of symptoms in a few days. This is a great alternative for patients who are looking for pretty immediate relief from jaw discomfort.
If you are interested in learning more about BOTOX, give us a call so we can learn more about your situation and how we can help you: 205-699-2551.