Let’s start by answering: What is bruxism?

 It’s a condition where a person grinds, clenches, or gnashes their teeth. This can happen either while awake or asleep.

Awake bruxism is the most common, but sleep bruxism is the most studied.

Why does it happen?

 Stress plays a major role in bruxism. People with high stress levels may increase the intensity of their teeth grinding, causing damage to their teeth.

In my case, as a 30 year old mom, working outside the home, married, with two kids, I had the perfect combination to develop it.

Is it dangerous?

 Bruxism itself is not necessarily dangerous, although its severity can vary. However, it can cause permanent dental damage, along with other types of pain such as jaw pain, earaches, headaches, and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders.

In the short term, bruxism can cause headaches, jaw discomfort, and ear pain. Over time, it can lead to progressive wear on the teeth, eventually eroding them due to continuous grinding.

How can bruxism be treated?

 That’s when I discovered botulinum toxin, known commercially as BOTOX®.

It’s applied through direct injections into the involved muscles. This significantly reduces muscle contraction, effectively relieving bruxism for approximately six months.

Why does it only last six months?

 This is due to how the body metabolizes Botox. Simply put, it takes about six months for the body to break down the toxin and for muscle function to return to normal.

For this reason, the treatment needs to be repeated every six months.

It’s worth noting that after each BOTOX® application, the muscle gradually weakens. While the effects of the toxin wear off after six months and the muscle resumes contracting, it never goes back to the same intensity it had before the first treatment, and that’s one of the positive aspects of using botulinum toxin.

My experience

 I’ve undergone this treatment four times, and each time it gets better. The pain is minimal, and in my case, the benefits are wide ranging. Alongside Botox, I also use a custom made mouth guard, which helps prevent further wear on my teeth.

At the European Center it is applied by the doctors of the team. I like that they use ultrasound guidance, making the treatment much more effective.

The cost per application is $350.