Therapeutic Botox
If you live with TMJ (temporomandibular joint) pain, you know that waking up with a stiff, sore jaw is no way to start the day. For many people the pain doesn't stay in the jaw — it spreads to the temples, neck, and shoulders, and shows up as tension headaches or worn, chipped teeth.
Clenching and grinding — especially overnight — strengthens the jaw muscles over time. They become larger and more powerful, which drives more tension, more pain, and can contribute to a wider or bulkier jawline. A night guard protects your teeth from wear, but it doesn't stop the muscles from working overtime.
Targeted injections into the overactive jaw muscles (most often the masseters, sometimes the temporalis) partially relax them so they can no longer generate the clenching force that triggers pain. Most patients notice softening of tension within one to two weeks, with results typically lasting three to five months.
Jaw dysfunction is especially common in people with joint hypermobility and Ehlers-Danlos syndromes — lax ligaments around the TMJ can lead to instability, subluxation, clicking, and compensatory muscle guarding. If you're hypermobile, your assessment will account for that: the goal is relieving muscle overactivity without destabilizing a joint that relies on muscular support. Dosing is conservative and mapped to your anatomy, with follow-up to adjust.
Therapeutic Botox appointments are available at both clinics. Many private insurance plans cover BOTOX® Therapeutic — often patients with coverage pay only an injection fee.