Upon a question from a patient, I would like to explain my views on the use of Botox in teeth grinding and Temporomandibular disorders, which have been frequently discussed recently, and why I do not use Botox.
As it is known, Botox, derived from the words “Botulinum Toxicum”, is actually a poison and is produced by the bacterium Clostridium Botulinum, which reproduces in an anaerobic environment in canned foods. In other words, when we use botox, we inject a poison to the patient. This poison blocks the neurotransmitter transmission that carries the message between nerve cells and muscle cells, and muscle cells cannot communicate with nerve cells that carry the necessary command to contract. Muscle cells that cannot receive the command to contract also stop the contraction process and relax. A functional movement that emerged as a reflex, like bruxism, does not occur. This effect is valid for about 4 to 6 months, then if the process is not repeated, the old situation may occur again. However, while the poison is effective, the patient may experience difficulties in performing muscle movements, even if he wants this time, and a decrease in chewing performance is observed. This method is not adopted by us as a form of treatment, as the effect is temporary and has to be repeated after 4-6 months, the negative effect on the chewing performance of the patient and finally the elimination of the symptom, not the source of the problem.
