Bruxism, or teeth grinding, affects many people for a host of reasons. TMJ disorder has been linked to bruxism, for example, and treating one can help assuage the other. Dr. Sid Solomon, the leading GNM dentist in Los Angeles, has studied how the entire body and the interconnected muscles influence and affect jaw pain. Through his years of research, and after treating thousands of patients, Dr. Solomon has used BOTOX® to great effect to treat bruxism and TMJ disorder.

What are the symptoms of bruxism?

Most people don’t know that they’re grinding their teeth because they do it when they’re asleep. They’re often aware that they clench their jaw, but the clenching is slightly less damaging.

If you tend to wake up with a headache regardless of how much sleep you get, it’s possible that you grind your teeth during the night. You might also wake up with a sore jaw. If you have a partner, you can ask them to listen closely when you sleep for any dull grinding sounds. 

Is grinding your teeth bad?

Without sounding too scary, yes, grinding your teeth is bad. It can cause severe damage, some of which may even be irreparable. Repeated grinding without treatment can loosen teeth, leaving them more likely to fall out or be knocked out from impact. They can get weak and be more likely to crack, break, or chip. Seriously weak teeth are even more susceptible to tooth decay. Without properly addressing bruxism, you may actually wear down your teeth to half their original size.

Not only are your teeth affected when you grind them, though. Your jaw may suffer restricted movement or constant soreness, clicking, inflexibility, and more.

How can BOTOX® help with bruxism?

BOTOX®, or Botulinum Toxin, has muscle-relaxing properties, making it a possible treatment for non-cosmetic procedures. Bruxism is one such condition that can be treated. By injecting BOTOX® into the masseter muscle located at the side of the cheek, the jaw muscles will relax over time. The masseter muscle and the temporomandibular joint control chewing, jaw movement, and more. For more advanced cases, we can also treat other nearby muscles, such as the temporalis, with BOTOX®.

Individuals who have BOTOX® injections for bruxism are encouraged to wait the treatment out. It may take a few days for everything to settle in and for the teeth grinding to stop. The treatment lasts about 3 or 4 months before it is needed again.

What other treatments work for bruxism?

Even though BOTOX® can help alleviate bruxism and address TMJ disorder, it may be prudent for you to undergo a more passive treatment. A special night guard customized to fit your bite can help keep your jaw still throughout the night, and it will not allow your teeth to grind while you sleep. Night guards come in handy to prevent further damage to your teeth, but they do not stop the actual grinding. This is why we recommend the night guard in conjunction with the BOTOX® treatments.

Moreover, if your grinding is combined with other symptoms and you need to be treated for TMJ disorder, Dr. Solomon will craft a jaw repositioning appliance. The appliance aims to put you into an optimal bite and alleviate the symptoms, such as grinding, at the source. 

Dr. Solomon’s Expertise

Dr. Sid Solomon has been treating patients with TMJ disorder and bruxism for more than 35 years. He is the inventor of the UniTox® syringe, the only FDA-approved syringe for BOTOX® injections. He is fully committed to solving the pain puzzle of TMJ and helping patients overcome their bruxism so that their oral health remains top-notch. He is dedicated to teaching other dentists how to use BOTOX® to treat their patients.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Solomon, contact us today. We’ll gladly talk with you and get started on a solution to treat your bruxism and TMJ disorder with BOTOX®.