Botox For Teeth Grinding

Teeth grinding is an ever more common problem in my practice. There are many reasons why a person might grind their teeth. One of the most common triggering factors is stress, which has rapidly increased over the past few years due to societal pressures. The uncertainties in our lives combined with the sense of doom brought on by sequential lockdowns is therefore manifesting in physical symptoms in many people- especially clenching and grinding our teeth. Many people will grind their teeth as a habit which is very difficult to eradicate without treatment as they do it without being consciously aware. Some athletes will clench their teeth when concentrating hard on their training, especially in contact type sports.

Teeth grinding involves overuse of the muscles used to clench the teeth together. This creates a strong and bulky masseter muscle, the muscle seen and felt just above the angle of the jaw. Botox injected to target the fibres of this muscle will reduce its activity during the period it is working, resulting in a weaker, more normal muscle bulk and activity. The resulting effects are reduced pain from teeth grinding, less risk of tooth damage through grinding and improved facial contour. The treatment will not stop the normal activity of the muscles of mastication (chewing) and so treated individuals can function completely normally after treatment.

What Age Can You Get Botox For Teeth Grinding?

In my practice I don’t treat anyone under the age of 18. Over the age of 65 Botox is unlicensed but it is at the practitioner’s discretion for off-label use. Younger patients have more commonly been grinding in the past few years in my experience, perhaps due to lifestyle factors. For young patients I would tend to try alternative methods of treatment before considering Botox injections. 

What Are The Potential Side Effects of Botox For Teeth Grinding?

Botox for teeth grinding should only be carried out by a fully qualified medical profession who is specifically trained to carry out the treatment. In such hands adverse effects of treatment are rare but all treatments carry some risk.

Minor side effects can occur such as bruising, swelling and redness. These should be minor and not require intervention; if you are worried about any unusual side effects please contact your practitioner. 

In rare cases the masseter muscle can paradoxically bulge after initial injection. This is usually caused because the muscle has 2 components, a superficial and deep aspect. If one part of the muscle has been effectively treated but the other (usually the deep part when a short needle has been used) has not been fully dosed, this can cause the lesser treated muscle to over activate and temporarily look more prominent. This is treatable with a top up dose with an experienced injector. Untreated, the effect will wear off over time and return to normal.

Another rare side effect is the migration of the toxin into a nearby muscle called risorious, responsible for lifting the mouth corners on smiling. If this muscle is inadvertently injected with botulinum toxin it will affect the appearance of the smile. This may not be noticeable to anyone other than the treated individual as it is not one of the main muscles used on expression. 

Unusual side effects can be unresolved grinding pain, more likely due to misdiagnosis of pain cause or too low a treatment dose. 

A side effect that is welcomed by many is facial slimming. Due to the Botox effects reducing the muscle activity of the masseter, the resulting effects are reduced muscle bulk and so a more streamlined, thinner face around the jawline.

Is The Treatment Right For You?

Botox treatment for teeth grinding is very effective in the right candidate. It has been life changing for many of my clients. The treatment is also offered in a hospital setting in referral cases. 

If you find that you are waking up with headaches or muscle, teeth, jaw pain- the treatment may be ideal for you. Bite guards made by your dentist can be effective in reducing the detrimental effects on your teeth from grinding, but they won’t stop you from doing so. This can mean in certain instances the grinding symptoms can be made worse due to having an object to chew on. 

Botox into the muscle responsible for the grinding is the only method (bar trying to retrain your brain/habits) which will combat the root cause. The results are long lasting and over time will reduce the problem indefinitely.

How Much Does Botox For Teeth Grinding Cost?

The treatment cost varies for each individual based on the dosage required. In my practice I charge similarly to the cost of 3 areas of Botox as the amount of product used is similar.

Cost may vary based on sex due to men traditionally having stronger facial muscles which require significantly more product to treat.