If you have experienced pain from migraines or your temporomandibular joint (TMJ), botox from Von Chan DDS may be able to help you. Dr. Von Chan is an experienced dentist who performs botox injections to help patients decrease their pain.
What is Botox?
Botox, also known as Clostridium Botulinum, is a toxin that relaxes muscles and skin. Botox is often used for cosmetic procedures; however, your dentist can also use it in dentistry to decrease pain. Common conditions that botox can treat include TMJ pain, headaches, locked jaw, or clenching of the jaw. When the botox is injected into the muscle, the nerve endings and muscle relax, leading to decreased pain.
Why Do Dentists in Petaluma, CA, Give Botox?
Dr. Von Chan treats patients with botox in her Petaluma, CA office to help reduce pain, tightness, and muscle spasms in the jaw and face. Many patients develop TMJ pain through excessive teeth grinding, often due to stress. Patients can also create pain from a misaligned jaw line or excessive chewing.
What is the Treatment for Botox Like?
To get botox at Von Chan DDS, you should first call the Petaluma office for a consultation. After your consultation, you will schedule a treatment time. For the treatment, Dr. Von Chan will first ensure you are comfortable and inject botox in the areas that bother you. Typically anesthesia or sedatives are not given for this treatment because it is quick and painless. The syringe used to inject the botox into your skin is small, so there is a slight chance of bruising or bleeding.
Over the next hours to days, the toxin will slowly begin to block the nerves in the area, decreasing muscle contractions and nerve signals, meaning less pain. The full results can be seen in 10-14 days. A typical Botox treatment lasts three to four months. At that time, consult Dr. Von Chan if another dose is necessary.
Can Botox Only Reduce Wrinkles?
No, at Von Chan, DDS botox is used for pain and muscle disturbances in the face. Botox can indeed be used to reduce wrinkles on the front; however, it can do much more. As mentioned above, Botox can help patients with jaw pain, tightness, and headaches. Call our office today to learn more about all the conditions botox can treat.
What Should I Do to Prepare for the Botox procedure?
In the botox procedure, Dr. Von Chan injects the solution into your skin with a needle and a syringe. This will make a small hole in your skin, putting you at an increased risk of bleeding. Although the needle size is small and usually does not cause bleeding or bruising, patients should avoid medications that can thin their blood before the procedure. These medications include ginseng, Motrin, fish oil, Ibuprofen, Aspirin, and Excedrin. Patients should also avoid alcohol before the procedure.
What Should I Do After the Botox Procedure?
Following the procedure, patients should avoid touching, rubbing, lying, or putting makeup on their faces for 24 hours. Patients should also avoid invasive procedures like microdermabrasion, massages, and peels to the front for two days. Patients should avoid exercising for 24-48 hours following the treatment. Lastly, patients should avoid flying for a few days after treatment because the air pressure can negatively affect the toxin. Following these guidelines will help ensure that you heal well.
Can Botox Cure Pain?
No, botox can prevent TMJ and migraine pain from worsening; however, it can not permanently cure it. Using Botox to treat TMJ and migraine pain is beneficial because it can reduce the discomfort while working with Dr. Von Chan and her team on the underlying problem. For example, Botox can decrease the likelihood of grinding while wearing a night guard if you grind your teeth at night.
Botox is an attractive solution for many dental patients with severe pain and discomfort in their TMJ or head. Call our office today for more information about botox or to schedule an appointment.