How to treat bruxism

By Dr. Aaron Stanes

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    Teeth grinding and jaw clenching (bruxism) can be quickly and conveniently treated using no-downtime muscle relaxing injections to the temporalis and masseter muscles.

    In some people, these muscles are too strong and overactive causing chronic clenching and grinding (known as bruxism). By treating them with muscle-relaxant injections, they undergo a controlled weakening, reducing their activity and improving clenching and grinding symptoms.

    What is bruxism?

    Bruxism is the medical term for teeth grinding. People with bruxism typically clench their jaw and grind and gnash their teeth while awake and when asleep (known as sleep bruxism). Bruxism can lead to TMJ dysfunction, chronic jaw pain and permanently damage your teeth.

    Why does bruxism cause headaches?

    People with bruxism often complain of headaches that are related to the overactivity and tension of the muscles that close the mouth. These muscles, the masseter and temporalis, are located at the back of the jawline and in the temples, respectively. Chronic muscle tension causes them to ache.

    How can bruxism be treated?

    There are a number of treatment options available for bruxism. Physiotherapy aims to improve the function of the jaw muscles, while dental guards can be used to reposition the jaws and protect your teeth. Here at Cosmetic Connection, we offer teeth grinding injections. Using the same product that improve wrinkles, this works by causing a controlled relaxation in the muscles responsible for teeth grinding: the masseter and temporalis muscles.

    Teeth grinding injections are an effective treatments for bruxism. Severe cases may be treated with a combination of teeth grinding injections, physiotherapy, and dental guards.

    How do anti-wrinkle injections treat teeth grinding/bruxism?

    Anti-wrinkle injections are a treatment that uses a muscle-relaxing protein to reduce facial movement and prevent skin bunching. Preventing bunching reduces wrinkles. By using the same product in the masseter and temporalis muscles, you can treat bruxism. The muscle-relaxing protein causes a controlled relaxation of the muscles, reducing their strength. This in turn reducing their activity, which works to prevent teeth grinding.

    Benefits of injections for bruxism

    Injections for teeth grinding have a number of benefits, including:

    • Treats teeth grinding and jaw clenching (bruxism)
    • Reduces jaw pain from clenching
    • Protects your teeth from damage due to grinding and gnashing
    • Slims prominent masseter muscles, giving the lower face a more balanced appearance
    • Improve jawline symmetry