Irvine, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/10/2013 -- Botox is a facial therapeutic and esthetic agent that has been used for therapeutic and esthetic facial applications for the treatment of facial pain, medical facial therapy, dental-facial therapy, TMJ syndrome and occlusal (bad bite) dysfunction for close to 20 years. The use of Botox is said to be one of the most underused facial pain therapies, having tremendous potential to provide new services and better treatment outcomes in every medical and dental practice.

Dr. Stone recognizes that this is effective therapy at the source of bruxism (excessive tooth grinding), jaw muscles and facial muscles themselves. “Botox allows these muscles to relax and return to their normal size. The skin covering these muscles also relaxes and many of the facial wrinkles also relax and disappear. It has two positive effects at the same time – pain relief and making patients look younger,” noted Dr. Stone.

“Botox has proven to be very effective in treating TMJ pain,” stated Dr. Stone. Botox is used as an alternative treatment for TMJ disorders and associated jaw tension and pain. When injected into facial muscles afflicted with soreness and discomfort, Botox relieves TMJ and jaw tension for many patients. The injections often eliminate headaches resulting from teeth grinding and, in cases of severe stress, Botox can even minimize lockjaw. Dr. Frank Stone, Stone Smiles, is now offering Botox in his office for his patients who suffer from TMJ pain that hasn’t responded well to other medications. Some medications previously used to treat TMJ have side effects or are ineffective.

Some 30 percent of the population suffers from headaches, a condition that occurs more frequently in women than men. Often these headache symptoms are caused from migraines, stress and chronic tension. Doctors have proposed several explanations for the disparity, including different levels of external stress and gender-related differences in the psychological response to pain. The best research, however, now suggests that sex hormones are to blame and loads of circumstantial evidence support this theory. In women, the headaches typically begin after puberty and tend to decrease in both frequency and intensity after menopause. These are the patients that Dr. Stone wants to help and he said, “For some patients headaches are both severe and occur frequently, even daily, and I know Botox can be the answer to relieving their pain.”