The use of muscle relaxant injections (or anti-wrinkle injections) is not just reserved for the relaxation of lines of facial expression and wrinkles.
A popular procedure is the use of muscle relaxant injections to reduce the size of the masseter muscles of the jaw. This is a common and extremely effective treatment for teeth grinding, or bruxism.
Many people have hypertrophic masseter muscles, either as part of their normal anatomy; or these muscles may be enlarged by excessive teeth grinding or clenching, known as bruxism.
With overuse from habitual teeth grinding, the masseter muscles become larger and over developed. Over time this alters the shape of the lower face, creating a square jaw line.
People who suffer from bruxism often report daily headaches, TMJ pain, ear and facial pain, worn down teeth and dental problems.
They suffer from daily pain and discomfort which has previously only been treated with special splints and physiotherapy.
In addition, the overuse of the masseter muscles from chronic grinding results in hypertrophy of the muscles (enlargement of the muscle) which causes cosmetic deformities and an enlarged, square shape to the lower face which is often asymmetrical.
Masseter reduction or jawline slimming for both treatment of teeth grinding and also for the cosmetic purpose of slimming the lower face is a simple and effective procedure which is why it is so popular.
The procedure involves the injection of wrinkle relaxers into the large masseter muscles to create a slim and more feminine jawline. The procedure works by relaxing (not paralysing) the muscle resulting in a softer and smaller appearance of the masseters and eventual atrophy (or shrinkage) over time.
The treatment can transform your face completely; many people go from having a square and masculine jaw to a narrow and oval face in a matter of weeks.