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TMJ, Bruxism, and Masseter Hypertrophy Treatment Los Angeles

Stiff TMJ discomfort and bruxism can dramatically affect your quality of life, particularly if the pain and discomfort weaken your teeth, affect your sleep quality, and contribute to migraines and tension headaches. Our world-renowned plastic surgeon Dr. Karamanoukian treats bruxism and masseter hypertrophy in his two clinics in Santa Monica and Beverly Hills. We have found that healthy adults benefit from the management of TMJ discomfort when masseter dysfunction, masseter hypertrophy, and teeth clenching get in the way of normal daily life. When you visit our luxury plastic surgery office, our specialist surgeon will analyze your masseter biometrics and compare them closely with the level and severity of TMJ discomfort and teeth clenching. Based on the three-dimensional anatomy of the masseters, TMJ, temporalis muscle, and platysma; he will recommend a specific Botox-centered management plan for your masseter hypertrophy. 

Our office treats patients with many of the problems associated with masseter hypertrophy, including the following: 

• Bruxism (Teeth Grinding) 
• Sore jaw muscles and recurrent jaw locking
• Cheek biting
• TMJ discomfort
• Tension headaches and migraines

Masseter Botox in Los Angeles

Botox injections are an excellent non-cosmetic treatment for overactive masseters in the setting of TMJ pain. This technique is known as masseter Botox.

Bruxism and TMJ jaw pain can be treated with a novel technique that involves the administration of Botox neuromodulator injections into the masseter muscles and temporalis muscles of the face. This is especially useful in patients who clench and grind their teeth or who have constant jaw pain related to masseter hypertrophy.

Experience with Masseter Botox for TMJ

Dr. Raffy Karamanoukian is a double board certified plastic surgeon with expertise in masseter Botox for bruxism, TMJ problems, jaw clenching, and teeth grinding. His expertise Is recognized by top referring Dentists in the Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, and Los Angeles areas who refer their patients to Dr. Karamanoukian for management of this difficult problem. Unlike dental appliances and night guards which mask the symptoms of teeth grinding and clenching, Dr. Karamanoukian’s unique protocol for masseter Botox eliminates the underlying cause of masseter hypertrophy. He is a graduate of the UCLA School of Medicine and performs clinical research to advance the fields of plastic surgery and reconstructive surgery. Dr. Karamanoukian is also a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and utilizes masseter Botox injections to help improve symptoms related to overactive muscle tone. Dr. Raffy Karamanoukian is the recognized leader in Masseter Botox injections in Los Angeles.

Learn why Dr. Karamanoukian is the top choice for masseter Botox injections in Los Angeles

Extensive Experience: Dr. Raffy Karamanoukian is the medical director of Kare Plastic Surgery in Santa Monica and regularly lectures on issues related to cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. With over two decades of experience, Dr. Karamanoukian has performed countless treatments related to the medical and cosmetic use of Botox. He performs cosmetic Botox injections to reduce wrinkles and dynamic lines on the face; as well as medical Botox injections to relieve pain and discomfort associated with overactive masseter and temporalis muscles. He has a very strong referral network with leading maxillofacial surgeons, dentists, and plastic surgeons who refer their masseter Botox patients to Dr. Karamanoukian for evaluation and treatment.

Advanced Protocols at Kare Plastic Surgery: If you have considered wearing dental night guards or dental appliances to reduce your master hypertrophy, you may benefit from our protocol techniques for masseter Botox. Dr. Karamanoukian has a proprietary technique that treats the master muscles and temporalis muscles using a three-dimensional approach that layers the Botox injections on different planes of the muscle in order to relegate their over activity. This unique approach modulates the simultaneous activity of temporalis muscles and masseter muscles and relieves the pain and discomfort associated with teeth clenching and grinding.

Plastic Surgery Expertise: Masseter Botox treatment is a medical procedure with reconstructive benefits. As an alternative to dental night guards and conservative treatment of master hypertrophy, Botox injections can relieve the muscle discomfort and hyperactivity that strains the TMJ joint and the posterior teeth. By relieving the attention, some patients will notice an improvement in headaches and tension, headaches, and migraines that may arise from these muscles. There are both cosmetic gains to slim the lower part of the face as well as medical gains to relieve the discomfort associated with TMJ. Dr. Karamanoukian and will evaluate your muscles from a three-dimensional perspective and determine whether Botox muscles in the masters are right for you.

Dr. Karamanoukian is a top expert in masseter Botox injections in Los Angeles. His pioneering work and expertise have placed him in the top-tier position for the management of TMJ and bruxism problems in Los Angeles. He is available for virtual consultation or in person consultation in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, and Santa Monica. Understanding the complexities of your treatment and the outcome of successful masseter Botox injections can improve your quality of life.

What is Botox?

Botox Cosmetic and Botox Medical are two products that are known as neuromodulators in plastic surgery and dermatology. They can modulate the activity of certain muscle muscles that are overactive and causing pain. Cosmetically, Botox injections are used to reduce hyperactivity of muscles that causes fine lines, wrinkles, and dynamic folds in the skin with animation. Botox injections are safe and FDA approved in the United States for both cosmetic and medical purposes.

What is the masseter muscle? The masseter are a group of muscles on either side of your face along the jawline and zygomatic arch that are used to clench the teeth and help you chew. In some patience, these muscles can become overactive and excessive. Some patients will notice that their massive muscles are in a constant state of clenching or tightness, a process that is now referred to as master hypertrophy when the masseter muscles are hyperactive. The clenching can cause significant pain and discomfort along the TMJ joint and jaw, especially in patients who grind or clench their teeth at night. Some dentists will recognize early hypertrophic master muscles by analyzing the teeth and determining whether there is significant wearing away of the teeth enamel in the back of the mouth.

Researchers have performed numerous studies to assess the benefits of injecting Botox injections into the masseter muscles in patient who have bruxism or TMJ pain. The injections noticeably reduce the bulk and strength of the masseter muscles without influencing your smile or overall function. Once the muscles are weakened, patients will notice less teeth grinding and teeth clenching in the back of the mouth. For some patients, this treatment can relieve pain and discomfort and improve quality of life. If you have migraine headaches or tension headaches that are related to overactive, masseter muscles, the Botox injections will help relieve the muscle strain and may help reduce the onset and severity of headaches.

Expectations from Masseter Botox:

Botox is an outpatient clinic procedure that is performed within minutes and can provide you with months of benefit. Dr. Karamanoukian receives many patients as referrals from dentists and oral maxillofacial surgeons who recognized that masseter injections can help relieve strain and discomfort in the mouth and jawline. On the day of your treatment, you will discuss your concerns with Dr. Karamanoukian and his staff and then undergo several injections that are very similar to Botox cosmetic injections. The targeted muscles will be along the jawline and lateral face, and there is rarely any bruising or swelling after treatment. The clinicians at Kare Plastic Surgery in Los Angeles will then administer some ice packs to help reduce any transient swelling. 

Procedure Details: Botox injections are injected into the three-dimensional layers of the masseter and temporalis muscles to relieve tightness and clenching along that muscle. Patients will report an improvement in discomfort, pain, and tone of the muscle. Most dentists will refer patients to Dr. Karamanoukian for teeth grinding, teeth clenching, and teeth breakage as a result of tight masseter muscles. 

Duration of Masseter TMJ Botox treatment?

Most injections will last between three and six months. If you use your masseter muscles a lot, then the onset and duration may be altered. 

Expectations for Botox Masseter in Beverly Hills and Los Angeles

Masseter Botox injections are performed in an office setting to counteract the hyperactivity of the masseter muscles along the cheek and jawline. The goal of treatment is to reduce the pain and discomfort of excess masseter tightening. Dr. Karamanoukian will carefully assess the strength of your masseter muscle and any associated hyperactivity of the platysma and temporalis muscles. In doing so, a requisite amount of Botox will be prepared for intramuscular injection. Our staff will prep the skin and several, tiny injections of Botox will be used to treat the overactive muscles. Immediately after the injection, we suggest that you apply some ice packs for a few minutes and resume your normal daily activities. You are free to eat or drink normally after the Masseter Botox procedure.

Once injected, the Botox will uniformly spread along the muscle fibers and you will begin to notice mild improvement of the ensuing several days. It usually takes about one week to see the full results of the TMJ Masseter injections. Most of our patients will notice the full effects of TMJ Botox injections within two weeks.

Cosmetic benefits of masseter Botox? 

Tense jaw muscles can cause the facial silhouette to appear broader in size with expansion of the jawline and jaw angle. Many people undergo Botox injections to slim the jawline and lower face. This may soften the jaw angle and give you a slimmer looking neckline. You are a good candidate for cosmetic masseter muscles if you believe that your masseters are making your lower face look wide. 

How masseter Botox works? 

Botox injections can weaken overly active masseter and temporalis muscles on the face. In doing so, teeth clenching and grinding are reduced. This should not cause any weakness in your smile or ability to chew. 

Recovery after Masseter Botox in Los Angeles

Masseter Botox consists of small injections into the masseter and temporalis muscles underneath the skin of the face. Most injections are well-tolerated and cause little discomfort. Dr. Karamanoukian may suggest some topical anesthetics to help ease any of the discomfort. The total procedure time takes minutes to perform. After Botox injections, you may feel a small amount of swelling or discomfort, but this should subside within ten to fifteen minutes. You are able to resume normal activities, barring any strenuous activity such as yoga, pilates, or weight lifting. 

Cosmetic Botox for Jaw Slimming in Beverly Hills

If you are considering Botox injections for masseter hypertrophy, you may be excited to learn that healthy adults often seek cosmetic Botox injections to slim the jawline and achieve a more sculpted facial contour. Botox injections are used for jaw slimming as a non-surgical alternative to shape the jawline, jowls, and lower face. The injections can be combined with masseter Botox for TMJ, cosmetic Botox injections for wrinkles, or simply alone to slim the jawline. This trend is very popular on social media and there are tons of before and after examples. Most patients will begin to see results within a few weeks of their injection. Our board certified plastic surgeon or dermatologist can administer the Botox injections as an outpatient clinic visit. 

Botox or Xeomin are similar in action and can both be used for masseter reduction. Peer reviewed studies have examined the safety of masseter Botox for jawline slimming and this treatment remains popular in the United States and Asia. Our experts can help you soften the jawline and sharpen your facial silhouette. Botox Masseter injections are often combined with Radiesse or Juvederm soft tissue dermal fillers for jawline enhancement. Some of our patients refer to Botox jaw slimming as Masseter Tox or Nonsurgical Jaw Reduction. 

How many units of Botox are needed for Masseter Tox? 

Masseter Botox typically requires between 15 units per side to 30 units per side, depending on the three-dimensional anatomy of your masseter muscles and the strength of their clench. 

Raffy Karamanoukian MD FACS
Kare Plastic Surgery  - Santa Monica
www.karesurgery.com 
804 7th Street
Santa Monica, CA 90403
For Appointments call: (310) 998-5533