Do you wake up in the morning with a stiff, sore jaw? Have you been awakened in the middle of the night by the sound of your own teeth grinding? Has your dentist recommended a mouth guard to protect your teeth from damage caused by tempromandibular joint (aka “TMJ”) disorder?
Teeth grinding and jaw clenching (also referred to as “Bruxism”) are common conditions that occur in both adults and children, typically as a result of the psychological effects of stress and sleep disorders. Most people are aware that this can cause damage to teeth, but did you know it can distort your appearance as well?
Your masseter muscle is a muscle located alongside of your jaw that, translated from Greek, means “to chew”. Like any other muscle, the more it is used, the larger it is going to get. Constant clenching and grinding will cause this muscle to enlarge, eventually giving a bulging, softened or square-like appearance of the jaw line. If you’ve not gained any weight, but slowly realise that your face seems to be getting larger around your jaw and chin, and you grind your teeth, this could be the cause.
Fortunately, there are a couple of solutions available to sufferers of “square jaw” (and we don’t mean clever make-up contouring!)
Botox
We know that Botox can reduce the appearance of frown lines by temporarily minimising muscle contractions on this part of the forehead. The masseter muscle can be treated in the same way. When Botox is introduced into any tensed muscle, it prevents the connection between neurotransmitter chemicals and nerve endings in that muscle. Within about a week of treatment, the treated tissue relaxes. In standard usage, this relaxation leads to smoother skin. In treating the square jaw, the process is slightly different.
When Botox is used to sculpt the jaw, the masseter muscle will need more product due to its size and strength. A number of treatments may be require to achieve the desired outcome and each time the muscle is treated, it will relax slightly more. Once the muscle has shrunk in size and the jaw has become smoother, follow-up treatments may be scheduled every few months.
Mouth guards
A professional mouthguard fitted by a dental professional and worn at night, such as the F.O.S. splint, offers an excellent solution to teeth clenching and grinding and the subsequent square like jaw. A properly fitted nightguard can help prevent and lessen the symptoms of TMJ. This means that your jaw tension, pain, headaches, and other symptoms can improve. Beware, a poorly fabricated nightguard can make this serious problem even worse. Find your nearest F.O.S. solution provider.
