Jaw clenching and teeth grinding: how masseter injections help

Some of the most grateful messages I receive have nothing to do with wrinkles. They come from people who have stopped waking up with a sore jaw.

What bruxism is

Bruxism is the medical word for clenching or grinding your teeth, and most of it happens while you sleep, so people often do not know they do it. The clues are a jaw that aches in the morning, headaches at the temples, teeth that your dentist describes as worn or cracked, and a lower face that has gradually become squarer as the chewing muscles bulk up. A night guard protects the teeth, but it does not stop the clenching itself.

How the injections help

The masseter is the large muscle you can feel at the angle of your jaw when you clench. A small, carefully placed dose of muscle-relaxing medicine, the same medicine used for frown lines and often searched for as “Botox for teeth grinding”, relaxes it partially. You still chew, eat and talk normally. What changes is the force behind the clenching, which is what causes the pain and the damage.

What the appointment looks like

I ask you to clench while I feel the muscle, mark the safest points, and place three or four small injections on each side. It takes about ten minutes. A typical first treatment is 20 to 30 units per side, so 40 to 60 units in total, which at R65 per unit is R2 600 to R3 900.

When you will notice a difference

Most people feel the jaw loosen within one to two weeks, with the full effect at four to six weeks. Because the masseter is a big muscle, the result tends to last longer than facial treatments, usually four to six months. Many people find they need less over time.

The side effect people ask about

As the muscle relaxes it also becomes slimmer, which softens the lower face. For some clients that is a welcome bonus; for others it is not what they want. Tell me which you are, and the dose can be adjusted to suit.

Who it is for

Adults with clenching symptoms, ideally alongside a dentist who knows your teeth. It is not suitable during pregnancy or breastfeeding, or with certain neuromuscular conditions, and all of that is covered in your consultation. Keep seeing your dentist; this treats the force, not the teeth.

Dr Philippa Volschenk, MBChB · PS Aesthetics