Bruxism refers to teeth grinding, which can result in persistent headaches and jaw pain. This practice can result in the loss of tooth enamel, added tooth sensitivity, and chipped teeth. The treatments available have been focusing on preventing or treating dental damage until, but recent studies suggest that using Botox can stop teeth grinding.
Botox for teeth grinding
When discussing Botox, most people think of a cosmetic treatment aimed at treating wrinkles. The material used in the Botox treatment uses botulinum toxin, which paralyzes muscle tissues. This property makes Botox an ideal treatment for relieving muscle spasms, particularly in the facial area. Using a calculated amount of Botox can limit the functionality of a muscle to release tension from it.
A recent study shows that you can treat bruxism by injecting a small amount of botulinum toxin into the muscle tissues that are responsible to control your jaw movements. The maxillofacial surgeon will inject a small amount of it into the masseter muscle below the cheekbone and temporalis and frontalis muscles.
Botox works by halting the bruxism. According to a report by Chicago Tribune, the success rate of Botox for the treatment of teeth grinding was found to be around 50%, which looks quite promising because of the prospects of success.
Teeth-grinding also shares a two-way connection with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) problems. It may be worth mentioning that Botox seems promising for the treatment of TMJ disorders. Other TMD treatments are either palliative or invasive, so Botox may prove to be quite an effective alternative treatment in this regard.
Side effects of Botox
Botox can provide instant relief from a painful situation caused by teeth grinding, but it is not a long-term way to treat the issue, at least for now when this treatment method hasn’t matured enough. Using Botox injections repeatedly can result in the loss of bone density, according to UConn Today.
While the long-term effects of this treatment are still under review, Chicago Tribune reported a "lopsided smile" in a couple of patients involved in the study to see the impact of Botox treatment for teeth grinding. That lopsided smile returned its natural shape after a few weeks when the effects of the treatment wore away.
Other treatments for teeth grinding
An oral maxillofacial surgeon will check your oral cavity to analyze whether or not you are a candidate for Botox treatment. The surgeon will suggest the treatment based on this analysis.
Your dentist or surgeon will want to go with more conservative methods to treat your bruxism problem. For instance, they may suggest you use a night guard, which is similar to a mouth guard that you wear during sports. The purpose of the night guard is to prevent teeth in the upper and lower jaw from coming in contact with each other. Over time, the use of a nightguard will decrease the impact of damage due to bruxism and relax your facial muscles.
According to the Bruxism Association, you can approach this problem by engaging in muscle relaxing exercises and improving your sleep habits. Improving sleep habits will help you prevent nighttime bruxism, which is impossible to control the consciousness of your mind.
