Anti-wrinkle injections
Softening of lines that form when you frown, squint or raise your brows, or other facial areas as needed.
What is involvedTreatments · therapeutic
Jaw clenching and TMD
Assessment and treatment of jaw clenching, teeth grinding and temporomandibular disorder — a medical problem rather than a cosmetic one.
- Appointment
- First appointment 45 to 60 minutes, including assessment
- Downtime
- Usually none, though chewing may feel different for a week or two
- Where
- Your home, office or hotel
- Who treats you
- Dr Cheryl Whitecross
Temporomandibular disorder covers pain and dysfunction of the jaw joint and the muscles that move it. It commonly presents as jaw ache, headache around the temples, facial pain, clicking, difficulty opening wide, or waking with a tight jaw. Clenching and grinding — often at night, often unnoticed — are frequently part of it.
Injections into the muscles that close the jaw can reduce the force of clenching, which for some people reduces pain and headache. It is one option among several, and it is not the first thing to reach for in every case: a night splint, addressing sleep, physiotherapy and dental review all have a place, and treatment that ignores the cause tends to disappoint.
This is why the assessment matters more here than anywhere else on this site. TMD assessment is multifactorial and may not respond to therapeutic injectables. TMD has more than one cause and more than one treatment, and the point of the consultation is to find out which one you have before anything is injected.
A side effect worth naming plainly: reducing the bulk of these muscles narrows the lower face. Some people want that and some emphatically do not, and it is discussed before treatment rather than discovered after.
Who it may suit
- Jaw pain, tightness or fatigue, particularly on waking
- Headache around the temples associated with clenching
- Known grinding, whether noticed by you, a partner or a dentist
- People who have tried a splint and want to discuss what else there is
What happens at the appointment
- A proper history: when it hurts, what makes it worse, how you sleep, what has already been tried.
- Examination of the jaw, the muscles, and how the joint moves.
- A discussion of options, which may well include referral rather than injection.
- If injection is appropriate, treatment on the same visit, and a plan for reviewing whether it helped.
Risks and what can go wrong
Every procedure on this site carries risk. These are the material ones for jaw clenching and tmd; the full list, and how they apply to you specifically, is part of the consultation.
- Bruising, swelling or tenderness at the injection sites
- Temporary weakness when chewing, particularly with firmer foods
- Change in the shape of the lower face as muscle bulk reduces
- Asymmetry of the smile or of jaw movement
- No improvement in symptoms — not everyone responds, and the cause may lie elsewhere
- Rarely, allergic reaction; and as with any injection, infection at the site
Results vary between people and no outcome is guaranteed. If you are concerned about something after treatment, call — that is what the number is for. In an emergency, call 000.
Other treatments
Dermal fillers
Restoring volume and definition to the lips, cheeks, chin or jawline, with a doctor assessing what is appropriate before anything is injected.
What is involvedExcessive sweating (not yet offered)
Assessment and treatment of hyperhidrosis of the underarms — a recognised medical condition, not a matter of grooming.
What is involved