What is bruxism?
Bruxism is one of the terms for jaw tension and TMJ disoders. The word descends from the greek “brygmos”, which means “gnashing of teeth”.
People suffering from bruxism generally have a clenched jaw and grind their teeth uncontrollably, at night or during the day. Those who suffer from nighttime TMJ wake up with jaw pain and headaches caused by the constant grinding of teeth during the night.
Bruxism is caused by a certain stimulus (stress, trauma, allergic reactions, etc) but when it becomes a habit, the stimulus can disappear while bruxism remains. People who suffer from severe bruxism usually only notice it through the pain and headaches or through someone (partner or family) noticing the noise at night.
How botox can help
Botox works by disabling the jaw muscles involved in jaw tension and TMJ. The toxin in botox blocks nerve signals to muscles, thus making them temporarily unable to move. Without access to nerve signals, muscles are relaxed and your jaw tension is relieved.
Good candidates
Some medications may interact with the effectiveness of botox, so consulting with a doctor is essential. A good candidate has chronic jaw tension causing headaches and teeth grinding who has unsuccessfully tried other treatments.
A good candidate is also realistic about the results—they are temporary and treatment needs to be repeated every so often. It also may not completely eliminate the problem.
Risks and benefits
There are risks with any medical treatment and botox is no exception. The effects may be counteracted by other medications or drugs or you could be allergic to botox. Injections may cause slight bleeding or bruising of the skin and you may suffer from excessive paralysis.
However, a good treatment will relieve your symptoms within a few days with very few side effects. It will still let you chew, talk and swallow freely as it does not block all your jaw muscles. It will relieve the tension in your jaw and safeguard your teeth from excessive wear due to grinding.
Costs
Botox can be quite expensive—about 600$ per treatment. However, the damage to your teeth may cause you to spend even more on dental work.
Treatments need to be repeated every few months as the effects of botox wear off naturally. This will require 3-4 treatments per year. Since TMJ disorder treatment through botox is still experimental, no insurance company covers the costs yet. However, given the rise in popularity and research on its effectiveness, botox may soon be covered if prescribed by a dentist or doctor.
You can’t restore your teeth like you can do hair restoration, so it might be worth investing in botox treatments if you suffer from jaw tension, TMJ disorder or bruxism.