TMJ Treatment
Botulinum Toxin treatment can help relieve jaw pain, tension, and related symptoms caused by TMJ disorder.
Dr. Hagan offers injections as a targeted approach for patients dealing with overactive jaw muscles.
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Understanding TMJ
What Is TMJ Disorder?
“TMJ” is short for the temporomandibular joints – the hinges that connect the lower jaw to the skull.
TMJ disorder (or “TMD”) is when the joint, the surrounding muscles, or the way the teeth fit together starts causing symptoms. Examples include jaw pain, clicking or popping sounds, headaches, earaches, difficulty chewing, and muscle tightness that radiates into the neck and face.
Causes vary, but factors include clenching or grinding, muscle overuse, stress, misaligned bite, past trauma, arthritis or degenerative changes, or disc issues inside the joint.
Pain doesn’t always mean the joint itself is damaged, and the source of TMJ pain is often muscular. That’s where Botulinum Toxin can help.
How Botulinum Toxin Treats TMJ Symptoms
Botulinum Toxin injections provide relief for TMJ symptoms by acting as a muscle relaxant, temporarily reducing how strongly muscles contract.
Most often, Dr. Hagan will be targeting the masseter and temporalis muscles. When those muscles are constantly active, they can become sore, inflamed, overload the joint, and trigger headaches and facial pain.
Botulinum Toxin will force those jaw muscles to relax. The result is that patients typically experience less clenching, fatigue, tenderness, and pain.
Botulinum Toxin TMJ treatment is not a permanent solution, and effects can fade over a few months. It’s often used as part of a broader plan to address the symptoms.
Targeted relief, real results
Benefits of Botulinum Toxin for TMJ
Rapid Relief
Botulinum Toxin helps relax the masseter and temporalis muscles, stopping overactivity, and relieving pain and soreness within days.
Non-Surgical and Quick
Botulinum Toxin injections are minimally invasive, and appointments are typically quick, in-office visits.
Protects dental work
By reducing grinding, Botulinum Toxin can also reduce the risk of wearing down enamel or dental work.
Supports other Treatments
Botulinum Toxin can work in tandem with night guards, physical therapy, or orthodontic treatments.
What to Expect During Treatment
Assessment
Dr. Hagan will evaluate the patient’s symptoms, jaw function, pain levels, and more to determine if Botulinum Toxin is the correct treatment. If it is, he’ll also determine precise treatment location and dosage.
Procedure
The injections are placed in specific points in the target muscles. They don’t take long. Most patients describe it as brief pinches/pressure.
Recovery
Patients go back to normal activities the same day in most cases. Mild tenderness, a small bruise, or a slight fatigued feeling is possible. Patients are given clear aftercare instructions.
Results
Results are quick, but not instant. The muscles begin to relax in the first few days, with full relief typically settling in around two weeks after the visit.
Ideal TMJ Treatment Candidates
Treating TMJ with Botulinum Toxin is typically a good fit for patients who:
- Have persistent jaw pain, tightness, tension, or muscle fatigue
- Clench or grind teeth regularly, especially during sleep
- Get frequent tension headaches linked to jaw tightness
However, Botulinum Toxin may be a less effective solution if the main driver of symptoms is joint degeneration or arthritis, nerve-related facial pain, or a bite mechanics issue that forces the jaw into a strained position.
Dr. Hagan will evaluate and discuss whether Botulinum Toxin makes sense for the patient.
Botulinum Toxin TMJ Treatment FAQ
Contact Us
Join our mailing list to receive important updates and information.
Opening Summer 2026.
Communities we Serve
We treat patients from across Washington, D.C., Prince George’s, Anne Arundel, Charles, and Calvert counties, and more. Some communities we serve include: