Teeth grinding, also known as bruxism, occurs mainly at night or in stressful situations and leads to intense grinding of the teeth in the upper and lower jaw. If bruxism is not treated, it can lead to serious damage to the teeth in the long term (e.g. sensitive teeth, tooth wear, broken teeth), problems in the jaw area, as well as headaches, tension in the jaw, neck and shoulder area and sleep disorders. It is therefore important to recognize this phenomenon at an early stage and treat it if necessary.
An effective treatment method for bruxism is the use of botulinum toxin. Botulinum toxin has a muscle-relaxing effect. In the treatment of teeth grinding, botulinum toxin is injected into the chewing muscle at specific points on both sides of the cheek. This leads to relaxation of the chewing muscle (masseter) without it completely slackening. Chewing and eating remain possible without any problems, but uncontrolled teeth grinding and strong clenching of the teeth are prevented. Many patients report rapid pain relief after the first treatment. In addition, treatment with botulinum toxin for bruxism contributes significantly to improving quality of life, as headaches and tension are significantly reduced.
Advantages of botulinum toxin for teeth grinding
The use of botulinum toxin in the masticatory muscle offers a number of benefits for patients suffering from bruxism:
- Non-invasive solution
- Targeted relaxation of the overactive masticatory muscles (masseter)
- Fast results
- Improving the quality of sleep
- No downtime after treatment
- Well tolerated by many patients
- High success rate and patient satisfaction:
Procedure for bruxism treatment with Botox
- Personal consultation and examination of the masseter muscle
- Marking of the injections in the cheek area according to individual requirements
- Treatment: The injection of Botox into the masseter muscle is quick and uncomplicated and only takes a few minutes. The botulinum toxin is injected directly into the masseter muscle using a very fine needle. Most patients find the injection painless or at most feel a slight burning sensation.
- Waiting for the effect: The Botox effect usually sets in slowly after 3-4 days and usually takes 10-12 days for the effect to fully develop. From then on you should notice an improvement in your symptoms. To prevent unwanted side effects, we recommend that you avoid sport, sauna and intensive facial massage for two days after the treatment.
Experience with Botox for teeth grinding
Patients who have been treated with botulinum toxin for bruxism predominantly report positive experiences. There is often a noticeable reduction in teeth grinding and significant relief from headaches and jaw pain.
Costs of Botox for bruxism
The cost of Botox® in the chewing muscle / for teeth grinding starts at CHF 450 per treatment.
Frequently asked questions
Treatment with Botox / botulinum is a treatment option for teeth grinding. The chewing muscle (masseter) is relaxed with botulinum. As a result, the masseter muscle becomes less strong, relaxes and the pain and tension in the jaw area as well as the teeth grinding are reduced.
The duration of the effect varies from person to person, but generally lasts around 3 months. After repeated treatments, a longer duration of effect can sometimes be observed.
Yes, it makes sense to repeat the treatment after 3-4 months. After initially regular injections, the treatment can be tapered off or the intervals between treatments can be extended.
For optimal results, you should avoid sports and sauna for 2 days after the botulinum treatment.
After treatment with botulinum toxin for teeth grinding (bruxism), chewing and eating remain possible without any problems and you can immediately resume your usual eating and drinking habits. However, we recommend that you refrain from chewing gum so as not to "train" and strengthen the masseter unnecessarily.
The duration of the effect of Botox® in the jaw muscle can vary from person to person and depends, among other things, on the metabolism, muscle strength and the dose administered. As a rule, the muscle-relaxing effect lasts for around three to four months. During this phase, the chewing muscle responsible for teeth grinding relaxes, which often leads to a significant reduction or even complete cessation of grinding. After this period, a new injection may be necessary to maintain the effect in the long term.
No, the finest needles are used and most patients find the injections painless or at most feel a slight burning sensation.
Simona Lüdi, MD, will be happy to welcome you for a personal consultation at our clinic in Basel. We look forward to seeing you.