Masseter Botox
Do you clench or grind your teeth, or is your jaw wide and square? The same chewing muscle can be behind both, and small doses of Botox® by Allergan relax it.
- First changeLess jaw tension in one to two weeks
- Full resultTwo to three months
- LastsThree to six months
- DowntimeMinimal
Key takeaway
Do you clench or grind your teeth, or is your jaw wide and square? The same chewing muscle can be behind both, and small doses of Botox® by Allergan relax it.
Is it right for you?
- Clench your jaw or grind your teeth
- Feel tension or soreness in the jaw muscles
- Have a square lower face from muscle bulk
- Want a slimmer jaw without surgery
Tell your doctor about a neuromuscular condition, weak facial or jaw muscles, or trouble chewing or swallowing before you book.
The jaw muscle lets go
The masseter is the muscle you feel tighten at the side of your jaw when you bite down. Clenching, grinding and your genes can make it stronger and bulkier.
Botox, placed at chosen points in each masseter, quietens the nerve signals that make it contract hard, so the clench and the tension it brings can ease. The muscle still does its job.
Where that bulk has widened the lower face, the quieter muscle gradually shrinks and the jawline narrows.
In the clinic
The consultation comes first, with your doctor, before anything is booked. 
Refreshments are waiting when you arrive. 
A treatment room at Cocoon Legian. 
The stone path to the treatment rooms at Legian. 
The BOTOX Platinum Award, 2026.
Results
- First change
- Less jaw tension in one to two weeks
- Full result
- Two to three months
- Lasts
- Three to six months
- Downtime
- Minimal
Jaw tension often eases within one to two weeks. Your jawline changes more slowly, showing from four to six weeks and clearest at two to three months, so wait before you decide how it looks.
One treatment lasts three to six months, depending on the dose and your muscle strength. Any redness, tenderness, swelling or bruising soon settles. Results vary, and your doctor says what to expect for your jaw.
Before and after your visit
Before
- Tell your doctor what you take, including blood thinners and aspirin.
- Mention any botulinum toxin or filler treatment in the last four months.
- Avoid alcohol the day before, as it can increase bruising.
- Arrive with clean skin and little makeup on the treatment area.
- Mention muscle relaxants, sleeping medication, injected antibiotics and allergy or cold medicines.
- Keep taking prescribed medicine unless its prescriber tells you to stop.
- Say if you have allergies, an uneven bite, jaw joint problems or a dental infection.
- Mention past facial or jaw surgery, planned dental work or problems after earlier botulinum toxin.
The day
Your doctor feels both sides of your jaw as you clench and relax, and may dose each side differently if one muscle is larger or stronger. The injections are brief pinches, with numbing cream if you want it. Then you go back to your day.
After
- Do not rub, press or massage the treated area for the rest of the day.
- No strenuous exercise, saunas, steam rooms or intense heat for 24 to 48 hours.
- Delay facials and facial massage until your doctor says.
- Contact us if anything unexpected develops afterwards.
Botox treatments, side by side
- First change
- After one to two days
- Lasts
- Up to four months
- First change
- Less jaw tension in one to two weeks
- Lasts
- Three to six months
- First change
- Within several days
- Lasts
- About four to six months
- First change
- Sometimes two to four weeks
- Lasts
- About 12 weeks
Questions people ask
It slims a jaw widened by muscle, but width that comes mainly from bone structure, fat or loose skin stays as it is.
It can weaken the clench behind grinding. It does not treat every cause of jaw pain or protect damaged teeth, so dental care may still be needed.
Chewing can feel weaker or tire sooner for a while, mostly with firm or chewy food. Your doctor chooses the dose to make this less likely.
Muscle activity returns gradually, and the tension or width with it. Your doctor can reassess and repeat it after 90 days or more.
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