Therapeutic Botox
Your first appointment is an assessment - a regular medical visit covered by MSP. Botox injections are scheduled separately if you decide to proceed.
If you have jaw pain, clenching or grinding, the symptoms can be particularly noticeable first thing in the morning. For many people, the pain doesn't stay in the jaw - it spreads to the temples, neck, and shoulders, and may lead to tension headaches or worn, chipped teeth.
Repeated clenching can increase activity and bulk in the jaw muscles. In some people, this contributes to jaw tension, pain or a broader lower-face appearance. A night guard protects your teeth from wear, but it doesn't stop the muscles from working overtime.
Targeted injections into the overactive jaw muscles (most often the masseters and sometimes the temporalis) reduce the force those muscles can generate, helping break the cycle of clenching and pain. The effect usually develops over the first one to two weeks. How long it lasts varies between patients, but results typically last three to five months before treatment is repeated.
Where tight, knotted bands in the neck and shoulder muscles feed the pain pattern, trigger point injections can be added - a quick needling treatment that releases focal muscle tension, often during the same visit.
Bruxism - clenching or grinding your teeth, often during sleep - is one of the most common drivers of jaw pain, and many people have no idea they do it until a dentist spots the wear. Common signs include:
Stress, sleep disruption, and certain medications can all feed the pattern. If several of these sound familiar, an assessment can sort out whether muscle overactivity is the driver - and whether Botox is a reasonable fit.
Related reading: Why Does My Jaw Click, Pop and Hurt?, Grind Your Teeth at Night? Botox Might Help, The TMJ, Migraine and Neck Pain Triangle, Jaw Pain, Migraine & Hypermobility, and Botox for TMJ & Jaw Clenching in Victoria.
Jaw dysfunction is especially common in people with joint hypermobility and Ehlers-Danlos syndromes - lax ligaments around the TMJ can lead to instability, subluxation, clicking, and compensatory muscle guarding. If you're hypermobile, that will be part of your assessment: the goal is relieving muscle overactivity without destabilizing a joint that relies on muscular support. Treatment is tailored to your anatomy, with follow-up to fine-tune dosing.
Treatment for jaw clenching typically starts at around 20 to 30 units per masseter side, with more for bulkier muscles and additional units if the temporalis is contributing to temple headaches - extensive patterns involving several muscle groups can use considerably more. The starting dose is deliberately conservative, especially for hypermobile patients whose jaws rely more on muscular support, and is fine-tuned at follow-up once your response is clear. Your proposed dose and expected cost are reviewed during the assessment before treatment is scheduled.
The common effects are mild and temporary: tenderness or a small bruise at the injection sites, and sometimes a feeling of chewing fatigue with tougher foods in the first couple of weeks as the muscles adjust. An uncommon effect is a temporarily uneven smile if product spreads toward nearby facial muscles - careful injection placement keeps this risk low, and like every Botox effect, it resolves as the product wears off. Nothing about the treatment is permanent.
Botox for TMJ pain and bruxism is prescribed off-label in Canada; Health Canada has not approved it specifically for this indication. The evidence, potential benefits, limitations, and alternatives are discussed during the assessment so you can decide whether it is appropriate for your symptoms.
Botox treats muscle overactivity - it does not repair the joint. Clicking that comes from the disc itself, true locking of the jaw, arthritic changes, and bite problems need dental, physiotherapy, or oral surgery input instead of - or alongside - muscle treatment. Part of the assessment is sorting out which category your symptoms fall into, and if injections aren't the right answer, you'll be pointed toward what is.
Cost depends on your dose, which is why it's confirmed at assessment rather than quoted blind. Many extended health plans contribute toward therapeutic Botox - my office works with a specialty pharmacy that coordinates the prescription and insurance process, and your expected out-of-pocket cost is reviewed with you before you decide to proceed.
For the full market picture, including what clinics across both cities actually charge: What Does TMJ Botox Cost in Victoria? · What Does TMJ Botox Cost in Burnaby & Vancouver?
Botox can help when jaw pain comes from overactive muscles - clenching, grinding (bruxism), and the tension that spreads to the temples, neck, and shoulders. Small injections into the jaw muscles (usually the masseters, sometimes the temporalis) ease the force those muscles generate. Whether Botox is appropriate depends on what's causing your symptoms, which the assessment sorts out; if the problem is mainly dental or joint-related, you will be pointed in the right direction.
A night guard protects your teeth from the wear of grinding, but it does not stop the muscles from clenching. Botox works on the muscles themselves, easing the overactivity that drives the pain. The two can be used together.
A focused assessment of your jaw, bite, and pain pattern. If possible, bring information about previous dental work, night guard use, prior injections, or any diagnosis of hypermobility or EDS. If Botox is appropriate and you decide to proceed, the injection appointment is scheduled separately.
Most people notice tension easing within one to two weeks, with results typically lasting three to five months before retreatment.
Some extended health plans contribute toward treatment. After your consultation, Dr. Baldwin works with a specialty pharmacy that coordinates third-party coverage on your behalf. Costs are reviewed before treatment so you know what to expect before deciding to proceed.
The dose is selected based on your anatomy, muscle bulk and symptoms. Treatment generally starts conservatively - particularly when hypermobility or jaw instability is part of the history - and the response is reassessed before deciding whether further treatment is appropriate. The exact plan is mapped out at your assessment.
With repeated treatment, the masseter muscles can gradually slim, which softens a wide or bulky jawline. Some patients welcome this; for others, dosing is planned to prioritize symptom relief while keeping changes subtle. Chewing changes, if they occur, are generally temporary as the medication wears off.
Clicking usually comes from the joint and its disc rather than the muscles, so Botox does not fix the click itself. It can ease the muscle guarding and pain that often travel with it. If your main issue is joint instability or locking, the assessment will sort out the right path - which may include dental or specialist input.
Yes, with hypermobility-aware planning. Lax ligaments mean the jaw depends more on its muscles for stability, so dosing is conservative and mapped to your anatomy - the goal is relieving overactivity without destabilizing the joint. Bring your diagnosis and history to the assessment so the plan accounts for it.
Often, yes. Overactive jaw muscles commonly feed tension-type headaches at the temples, and jaw dysfunction frequently overlaps with neck pain and migraine. If you also have frequent migraine days, it may be worth reviewing whether Botox for chronic migraine fits your pattern - both can be assessed in one visit.
No referral is required to book an assessment about Botox. You can book a TMJ consultation in Victoria (Hillside Medical Clinic) online, or book in Burnaby (Kensington Medical Clinic) online.
Common and temporary: tenderness or a small bruise at the injection sites, and sometimes chewing fatigue with tougher foods in the first weeks as the muscles adjust. Uncommon: a temporarily uneven smile if product spreads toward nearby facial muscles - careful placement keeps this risk low. All effects wear off as the product does; effects are temporary as the medication wears off; most people can return to normal activities afterward.
No - Botox for TMJ pain and bruxism is prescribed off-label in Canada. Health Canada has not approved it for this specific indication, although it is supported by clinical evidence and widely used for it. This is true at every clinic in Canada offering the treatment, and what off-label means for your situation is discussed at the consultation.
Therapeutic Botox appointments are available at both clinics. Many extended health plans provide coverage for therapeutic BOTOX®, although benefits vary.