Botox for Jaw Pain

What Is Botox?

Botox is a natural chemical compound made by bacteria called Clostridium botulinums. Typically found in spoiled foods and if you eat the spoiled food it will block the signals from your nerves and paralyzes your muscles. If you ingest too much of the substance, it can cause a reaction called botulism.

But it’s safe because the toxin isn’t digested in your stomach and the dose is a much smaller amount than you’d get in spoiled food.

Doctors have found that shots of Botox can help smooth wrinkles because it relaxes muscles in the face. When people who had migraine headaches and sore jaws used Botox to treat their wrinkles, they told their doctors that their headaches and sore jaws were better. So dentists began to study it as a form of jaw pain treatment.

Does Botox Work for Jaw Pain?

The short answer is “yes”. In a study of adults who get chronic jaw pain and migraine headaches, injections of Botox significantly reduced the total number of days they had them. With reduced, and in some cases, eliminated jaw pain, patients reported fewer days off work.

Researchers have concluded Botox works for jaw pain because it blocks chemicals called neurotransmitters that carry signals between neurons. Botox blocks this pathway, thereby stopping the chemicals before they get to the nerve endings around your head and neck.

Botox Treatment

You’ll get several shots of Botox around your jaw once every 12-24 weeks to dull or prevent jaw pain and migraine headaches.

You may need 30 to 60 unit doses. You may require an unequal dose on each side of your jaw depending on severity. If you have jaw pain in one particular spot, you may need more shots there. You could see results 1 to 2 weeks after your first treatment.

Need other dental work on your teeth?

Meet Dr. Jiang

Dr. Thomas Jiang grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He is fluent in Shanghainese, Cantonese, and Mandarin. He received his dental education in 2004 from the University of Manitoba after completing his Bachelors Degree in Science.

Dr. Jiang is here to help you. He finds practicing dentistry very exhilarating. He knows you are unique and every situation has its own set of circumstances. He'll treat you with kindness and respect while using the highest quality materials and the most proven dental procedures.