Botox for the Masseter in Portland, OR

If there’s ever a treatment that leads to a client exclaiming “this has changed my life,” it is Botox to the masseter muscle. Just recently, I worked with a client /friend who received so much relief from this service that she insisted this be the topic of my next blog. You know who you are, and this is for you. 

The masseter muscle runs along each side of the face, from the back of the cheek to the lower jaw, and is responsible for chewing and closing the jaw. We use this muscle a lot and it plays a role in temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMJ. TMJ can be super painful and is associated with headaches, facial pain, ear pain, and joint dysfunction. TMJ is common with up to 30% of adults and 10% of children dealing with this. 

Relaxing this muscle with Botox makes it so we cannot clench and bite down as hard. This relaxation may offer great relief if you suffer from TMJ. While there may be several muscles involved in TMJ to include the temporalis and pterygoid alongside the masseter, relaxing the masseter alone has proven to be effective in overall TMJ relief.  

For some of us, when we bite down, the muscle becomes visible and leads to the appearance of a wider jaw. In addition to receiving Masseter Botox to treat TMJ, this procedure will create a slimming effect in the jaw, which may be an aesthetic goal for certain clients. Most typically in my practice, I am offering this service to relieve pain. 

In my experience, I find that 20 units on each side of the jaw is a good place to start in order to obtain results. From there, we have room to increase the dosage as needed. The masseter muscles are large, so it is often necessary to meet the muscle with the appropriate dose. 

If you are coming in for this treatment, we will start with a consultation related to your needs and goals. I may ultrasound over the region of the face to more clearly visualize the muscle. Then I demarcate the bottom of the ear lobe to the bottom of the chin, careful to avoid the muscles connected to the smile. 

One possible side effect of this treatment can be that the smile muscles are affected by the injection, leading to a temporarily lopsided grin. While this outcome is very rare, I am still practicing specifically to avoid it. Another thing to keep in mind is that if the medicine is administered too shallowly, it can lead to bulging of the muscle. This is also rare, but if it does occur, we simply enhance the treatment with a little more medicine. All in all, the rare side effects are minimal in comparison to the potential relief offered. 

While my practice is aesthetically-focused, I am working to approach this work from a holistic place. When I have the opportunity to utilize these tools outside of aesthetics, and to potentially increase one’s quality of life, I’m all about it.