Botox for TMJ In New York City And Long Island
Many people suffer from TMJ problems for long periods of time. If this is you, you know how painful and frustrating it can be. Your symptoms could be spasms in your jaw muscles that keep you from being able to open your jaw wide. Or, you experience tension and pain in your jaw and facial muscles 24/7 with no relief. You might not be able to eat without your jaw muscles twitching and cramping. You may have been clenching your teeth for so long that your facial and jaw muscles have changed in shape, causing you to worry about your appearance. You may be one of a small percentage of patients who do not respond to the first-line treatments such as mediation, exercises, oral appliances, dietary changes, and physical therapy and you continue to suffer. In your case, Botox injections may be the right thing. As a board-certified orofacial pain specialist, I am qualified to provide injections of Botox for TMJ in NYC and Long Island.
How Does Botox For TMJ Work?
Botox partially incapacitates a muscle’s ability to contract. Therefore, it provides an option for patients who’ve not responded to the more common first-line types of therapy. Injections of Botox in your facial, jaw, and/or neck muscles can often reduce muscle tension and symptoms for two to four months. Easing the tension in your jaw allows for increased blood flow and increased blood flow supplies your muscles and tendons with the nutrients and oxygen necessary for cellular repair. In other words, Botox gives your jaw a chance to heal. Although repeat injections are often necessary, the relief for so many of my patients who have suffered from TMJ for a long time has been nothing short of remarkable.
If you are looking for Botox for TMJ in NYC or Long Island, it’s important to use a doctor with the experience and training to accurately identify if you’re a good candidate. My system of patient evaluation and experience enables me to accurately sense if you will benefit. I’ve been able to provide diminished pain, less jaw muscle tension, improved eating capacity, and improved jaw motion without stiffness or soreness in the majority of my patients that qualify for the Botox route.
Where Botox Is Injected
If your jaw problems are due to over-use, such as clenching, nail biting, gum chewing, or clenching or grinding at night, Botox will typically be injected in two of your jaw muscles, the Masseter Muscle and the Temporalis Muscle – the muscles that bulge when you clench your teeth. If you suffer from facial headaches, Botox may be injected into your Frontalis Muscle. If your pain is mostly in your lower jaw, Botox may be placed in your Trapezius Muscle in patients with jaw pain that is focused in the lower jaw.
Relief begins to occur for most people in about three to five days, with the peak benefits being realized after one to two weeks. You may require only one set of injections, but it’s normal to require a series with three-month intervals between each in order to restore normal tone and pain thresholds to your chronically overworked muscles.
You will be given home exercises to assist your muscles in the process of recovery and an oral appliance, which you will wear while you’re sleeping that will allow your jaw muscles to take a break for a few hours a day. And don’t worry, the amount of Botox that’s used does not stop your jaw muscles from working entirely. You will be able to open and close your mouth, chew, and speak normally.
Other Ways We Use Botox For TMJ In NYC & Long Island
Botox For Jaw Slimming: Overdeveloped jaw muscles can alter the shape and size of your jaw. Using Botox injections to slim the jaw has produced outstanding results. Though the benefit is not quick, with a series of injections, Botox can flatten jaw muscles to a considerable extent – which has been a god-send for many of my patients.
Botox For Neuralgia: Over the last several years the use of Botox has been explored for nerve pain problems, as well. A recent scientific review has revealed great promise in the management of pain associated with Trigeminal Neuralgia (episodic nerve pain in the face) and Continuous Oral and Facial Neuralgia problems. The benefit of Botox in treating these kinds of problems relates to its ability to reduce the level of certain neurochemicals involved in nerve pain conditions. As a result of these studies, Botox injections in the face and inside the mouth (around teeth or where teeth used to be) show encouraging results. Though in its infancy, the use of Botox appears to be a welcome addition to the treatment options for these difficult problems.
Botox For TMJ In The News
I was interviewed on ABC’s Good Morning America about Botox for TMJ. Click here to watch the short segment: Can Botox be used to treat teeth grinding?
To schedule a consultation about Botox for TMJ in NYC and Long Island, here are my office phone numbers: NYC: 212-265-0110 Long Island 631-265-3136
Learn more about Botox for TMJ in NYC and Long Island:
Botox Injections For TMJ – 6 Things You Need To Know
Botox Effective In The Treatment Of Severe Facial Pain
Botox For Jaw Reduction: The Real Story