Botox for Clenching and Grinding

Have your jaws started to hurt recently?

Have your teeth recently become overly sensitive to hot and cold food, even air?

There can be many reasons for that, but clenching and grinding the teeth may be the main culprit.

Most people are habitual of daytime or nighttime involuntary teeth grinding and clenching called bruxism. What makes things even worse is that you would not even know that you have the habit of clenching and grinding unless someone tells you or a dentist diagnoses you.

Recently the Botox® treatment- using Botulinum Toxin to relax the jaw muscles has gained immense popularity in treating clenching and grinding.

You may have heard of Botox for removing wrinkles and lifting your skin to make you look young. Nevertheless, Botox for clenching and grinding teeth (bruxism) may be new for you.

Worry not; we are here to educate you.

We restore your dental health and treat clenching and grinding using Botox® in Maple Ridge at Kanaka Creek Family Dental.

Therefore, read on to learn your next step if you are experiencing jaw pain, headaches, or chipped teeth.

Clenching and grinding- Things you should know

Even if you are not habitual of clenching and grinding teeth, stress due to upcoming problems or job problems can trigger it.

You may not be aware of grinding teeth at night in your sleep or clenching your jaws in anger, but as soon as the symptoms start to show up, you must get to the root cause.

Here are some dental and non-dental symptoms that indicate clenching and grinding:

Dental symptoms of clenching and grinding:

· Generalized tooth sensitivity to hot and cold things- often to air
· Gum sensitivity
· Bleeding gums
· Receding gums
· Damaged teeth- chipped or fractured teeth
· The tooth size decreases vertically

Non-dental symptoms of clenching and grinding:

· Frequent headaches
· Jaw pain
· Tightened muscles in the jaw and around the ears
· Difficulty in mouth opening
· Lop-sided smile due to muscle constriction

If you witness any of these, you need to rush to the dentist’s office.

Botox treatment for clenching and grinding

Before any treatment, it is essential to reach a definite diagnosis and identify the reason causing the problem. It helps to not only treat but also eliminate the problem.

Dentists around the world take different approaches to treat bruxism, including:

· Exercises to relax the muscles
· Medications to help with pain
· Methods and medications to de-stress
· Massages around the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) to relieve jaw pain
· And, of course, Botox

To treat clenching and grinding, it is essential to understand what causes it.

What is the reason for clenching and grinding?

The reason behind clenching and grinding (bruxism) is unclear. Dentists believe that when a person is under stress or anger, the brain often starts to send abnormal signals causing forceful and involuntary contractions of the jaw muscles, especially the masseter muscle.

These contractions result in clenching and grinding of the teeth.

What is Botox treatment?

Botox treatment made the headlines in the late 1970s when a neurotoxic protein by the name of Botulinum Toxin was used to treat wrinkles and facial lines by paralyzing or freezing the sub-surface muscles.

Small amounts of this toxin were injected into the relevant muscles to stop the release of a specific neurotransmitter and stop the wrinkles and fine lines from forming.

Even though this treatment is temporary, it shows promising results. This is why dentists started experimenting with it to treat clenching and grinding. Nevertheless, they were successful. Botox for clenching and grinding was not only effective but also safe.

How does Botulinum Toxin for clenching and grinding work?

At Kanaka Creek Family Dental, we provide the best Botox in Maple Ridge.

You may ask why.

First, we educate the patient and walk them through the entire procedure. If you come to us for Botox treatment for bruxism, here is what we will do after a thorough examination and diagnosis:

A small amount of Botulinum toxin is injected into the muscles- usually, the masseter muscle responsible for chewing and moving your jaws. However, the dentist might inject it into some other muscles like the temporalis and frontalis, as per the need.

The toxin minimizes clenching and relaxes the muscles, which will help relieve the tension, headaches, and jaw pain you have been experiencing.

The Botox treatment is usually effective after 1 to 3 days and lasts up to 6 months. Often, the toxin kicks in after 10-12 days, usually in severe cases of bruxism.

And no, it is not a painful treatment. The only thing you will feel will be a slight pinch from the needle, and that is all.

Is Botox for clenching and grinding safe?

No side effects or patient complaints have been reported yet with the Botox treatment. Patients leave the dental clinic happily after their Botox. It is not a one-time treatment; you will have to get it done again after 3-6 months until the habit of clenching and grinding teeth completely subsides.

Time to get your Botox done

Botox for clenching and grinding teeth is not a very expensive treatment, and your dental insurance might cover the cost.

However, the price may vary from dentist to dentist. To get the best treatment for bruxism using Botox in Maple Ridge, contact us at Kanaka Creek Family Dental.

We are not just treating dental problems; we are creating ever-lasting smiles!