Botox – TMJ Therapy
Botox has been used in the field of medicine for many decades. While mostly known for its cosmetic benefits, it has many therapeutic uses throughout the body. In the head and neck region, Botox has been beneficial in treating TMJ, jaw pain, and teeth grinding. When it comes to treating TMJ, our San Marcos Botox TMJ dentist understands how to best use this medication for maximal jaw pain relief. To find out if Botox can be beneficial to you, use our Botox assessment tool.
Botox – A Neurotoxin
Botox is a nerve-blocking agent that causes muscle paralysis. But how does it work? Muscles, by definition, are working when they are contracted. And for muscles to contract, they need to be activated. The activation signal comes thru the nerves to the muscle, and then the muscle contracts. The strength of the contraction depends on the size of the muscle. The bigger the muscle, the more force it can generate by contracting. Each muscle, regardless of size, is made up of many muscle fibrils. All of these fibrils put together make up the muscle. Botox works on only some of these fibrils, making the muscle weaker as a whole. When TMJ is caused by excessive muscular activity (e.g. clenching or grinding of the teeth), Botox can be beneficial by controlling the overactive jaw muscles.
Botox – Treatment
At TMJ & Sleep Apnea Center in San Marcos CA, our dentist only uses the best Botox, by Allergan in treating TMJ. Botox is transported in small vials in a dry powder form. It has to be kept cool (even during transportation) not to lose its effectiveness.
Once the patient arrives for the treatment, the medication is then prepared for injection by combining it with precise amounts of sterile water. The injection sites are wiped clean and disinfected. The muscles are then outlined to avoid undesirable complications. After the treatment, patients can leave and resume their normal daily activities with minimal restrictions. There are 2 main groups of muscles that can benefit from Botox therapy: the masseters and the temporalis. Of these 2 muscle groups, it is usually the masseters that cause the most trouble, as they are stronger than the temporalis muscles.
Botox – A TMJ Cure
While Botox is not a TMJ cure, it can help tremendously reduce and control the symptoms of TMJ. The maximal benefit of treatment is noticed about 3-4 days after the injections. Since the injections wear away after several months, periodic injections may be necessary to keep muscular forces under control.
botox – cost – insurance
If you have medical insurance, you may have some benefits for treating TMJ. However, there may be restrictions or exclusions for treatment with Botox for TMJ, as it is considered “off-label” use.
The cost of Botox treatment depends on how many units of medication are used. The range is from $600 to $800 for the treatment of TMJ-related symptoms. For the treatment of migraines, the cost is upwards of $1500 due to the increase in units used. We offer different financing and payment options to make getting Botox affordable on any budget.
If you have TMJ symptoms and are wondering what are your options for treating TMJ, contact us and we’ll schedule your consultation with our TMJ dentist.