Say the word Botox and most people think of injections that make wrinkles, crow’s feet and laugh lines disappear. However, did you know that Botox also has medical and therapeutic uses in addition its cosmetic purposes?
Botox is a drug made from a neurotoxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. In small doses, Botox can have favorable effects as, for example, when it is used to treat the symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMD. As a members of the American Academy of Facial Esthetics, Dr. Page use Botox injections to provide patients with relief from the painful symptoms of this condition.
How Does Botox Work?
When injected in an extremely small concentration, Botulinum toxin blocks nerve signals from reaching muscles, thereby relaxing the muscle. Muscles move when the nerve releases a chemical messenger that attaches to receptors on muscle cells. This chemical signal causes a muscle to contract. If the nerve can’t send the signal, then the muscle will not move.
How Does Botox Work for People with TMD?
Botox can help relieve the pain and discomfort of TMD as well as teeth grinding and clenching—also called bruxism—by blocking nerve signals from reaching your jaw muscles. TMJ can come about as a result of a number of circumstances:
- A malocclusion that causes the jaw to function improperly
- A traumatic hit to the head, face or neck
- Uneven teeth caused by teeth grinding and clenching, which leads to incorrect jaw placement
The primary symptom of TMD is pain when you open your mouth to speak, eat, laugh or yawn. Other frequent symptoms include a popping or clicking sound when you open your mouth, severe headaches, facial swelling and changes to your bite, the feeling of an earache but no sign of infection and sensitive teeth.
Dr. Page inject Botox in the proper dosage to relax your muscles enough so you can comfortably move your jaw. Most patients begin to feel relief after two day to a week after a treatment, and the effects of the injections last for about three months. After several treatments, jaw muscles may begin to relax for an even longer stretch of time.
Call Our Office Today
If you or a loved one is experiencing any of the symptoms of TMD or bruxism, schedule a consultation at Capital Smiles, so you can learn more about Botox treatments for this condition. Our Schenectady, NY, practice sees patients from throughout the Capital District including Albany, Schenectady, Niskayuna, Amsterdam, and beyond.