Jaw tension and teeth grinding

If you wake with a sore jaw, grind at night, or your jawline has widened over the years, the masseter is usually the reason. It is the muscle that closes your jaw, and like any muscle it thickens with overuse.

Botox placed into the masseter reduces the force of the clench. Pain and headaches usually ease within two weeks, and over a few rounds the muscle slims, which softens the jawline. Chewing is unaffected — the dose relaxes the muscle, it does not disable it. Most people repeat every four to six months.