Botox and the masseter muscle
Treat your TMJ, jaw pain, and lower face asymmetry and even achieve facial slimming through a quick and highly effective procedure
Although an extremely popular procedure in parts of East and South East Asia, the masseter muscle procedure is quickly gaining traction in parts of Europe and the US. This procedure has been known to have several medical benefits, including relief of TMJ and bruxism (or teeth grinding). But did you know that a pleasant side effect is facial slimming and lower face symmetry?
We give you a breakdown of the science below!
Anatomy of the masseter muscle
The masseter muscle starts from the cheekbone (or medically known as the zygomatic arch), run downward and backwards to the angle of the jawbone. It is known to have three layers: The superficial, middle, and deep layers. The deep and superficial layers are separated by a tendon called the deep inferior tendon.
What to expect with masseter muscle treatment
Your injector will likely have you bite down to localize the masseter muscle and determine the degree of severity. Although some injectors do not, most will mark up the borders of the muscle to determine that the injection points are not near or on other muscles that affect smiling (like the risorius muscle). Using doses starting from 15-20 units, product will be slowly injected into the belly of the masseter.
Results
Effects are felt and seen within 1-2 weeks and peak around 3 months after injection. Over time, as Botox or other products diffuse into the neuromuscular space, the muscle becomes less and less active and ultimately ‘paralyzed.’ This paralysis causes muscular atrophy, or shrinkage, leaving the jaw much slimmer.
Another by-product of masseter muscle inactivation is the recruitment of other muscles for chewing, eating, and masticating. Sometimes people may experience mild enhancement of the temporal muscle, leaving the temples ‘fuller.’
Complications
There are two complications to worry about when getting masseter muscle treatment, and this is often traced back to the skill of the injector and their knowledge of lower face anatomy.
Asymmetrical smile: This occurs when product is placed to anterior and Botox infiltrates the risorius muscle, an important muscle responsible for pulling the edge of the mouth outwards, creating a smile.
Paradoxical bulging: As outlined above, the masseter muscle contains 3 layers. Therefore, it is an extremely thick muscle. Paradoxical bulging can occur when the needle depth is too shallow and product does not infiltrate the deep layer. Inactivation of this deep layer allows it to continue to be enlarged, causing a ‘bulge.’ Fortunately, this can be easily remedied through a top-up of product into the correct space.
