How Does Botox Help TMJ?

Botox Help TMJ

Most people have heard of Botox, which is the pharmaceutical product name for a neurotoxin protein used to generate specific cosmetic procedures, to address migraines, to provide muscle modification, and quite a bit more today. However, very few people understand how the product actually works. Botox can be beneficial when applied by a medically-trained expert, including dealing with stress symptoms such as headaches, stress-caused jaw tension, and even lockjaw.

Effectiveness

Botox has been studied heavily and has proven, under certain conditions to be effective where traditional medicine and treatment have failed. Particularly with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder, the official approval is still pending from the federal government. In particular, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which has an agreement with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Health Canada, is responsible for approving new medicines or new uses of existing pharmaceuticals. Studied in three different examinations (2003, 2008, and 2012), Botox was found to reduce TMJ symptoms. In some cases, the study examined only a small group, but in the earlier studies, up to 90 percent of participants saw a notable improvement in their TMJ condition.

The Procedure and Effects

The application of Botox gets applied as an outpatient procedure. Most patients get the treatment in a medical office versus any kind of surgical operation. The process is so quick; it lasts about 10 to 30 minutes. A typical case involves injection or series of injections three times over months. After application, the patient is typically advised to keep standing, avoid lying down or sitting and don’t rub the injection site. These recommendations are essential as they help you to prevent the product from affecting unintended muscle sites or traveling in the body.

The side effects of Botox can vary and can take several days to manifest. Many patients don’t have very noticeable impacts asides from sensitivity at the injection site, some swelling, bruising, soreness, and then the desired beneficial effect. However, severe reactions can range from just a headache to nausea, eyelid droop, flu-like sickness, and even a respiratory infection. The desired effect of Botox will generally last from six to eight weeks in terms of the time window.

Overall Outlook

Again, repeat studies have supported that the Botox product works and is also generally safe, even for TMJ disorder. Research continues, which is why Botox for TMJ is not a regular procedure like other medical treatments often covered by insurance providers. While some insurers might point out there are different procedures already approved for TMJ. Some cases do not respond at all, leaving Botox as potentially the only viable option.

Northedge Dental provides solutions for patients with TMJ, regularly. We provide Botox to help with the effects of TMJ treatments as well as advice and counseling on what the potential benefits may be. If you’re dealing with a severe case of TMJ or related symptoms, contact Northedge Dental for a consultation. Some out-of-the-box thinking may be needed, which is the difference we can provide using our expertise.A

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