Masseter Botox in Tokyo for Teeth Grinding and Jaw Clenching | Men’s Care Clinic

Is this you?

Men’s Care Clinic treats men only. The Shimbashi clinic is a one-minute walk from JR Shimbashi Station, and a masseter botulinum toxin injection takes about ten minutes. Clenching and grinding happen while you are asleep or while you are concentrating, so they are hard to notice in yourself. People come to us with concerns like these.

• Your jaw feels tired or heavy when you wake up in the morning.
• Your dentist has told you that your teeth are worn down or chipped.
• The area around your temples feels tight, and your head feels heavy.
• You are bothered by a square jawline, or your face looks bulkier than you would like.
• You catch yourself clenching your teeth when you are concentrating.
• You already use a mouthguard, but the habit itself has not changed.

If you have severe pain or difficulty opening your mouth, another condition such as a temporomandibular disorder may be behind it. In that case we may refer you to a dental or oral surgery department.

What masseter botulinum toxin treatment is

A botulinum toxin product is injected into the masseter, the muscle you use to bite, with the aim of easing excessive tension in that muscle. Clenching and grinding happen without you being aware of them, so it is difficult to relax the jaw by trying to. Acting on the working of the muscle itself is intended to ease the state in which too much force is being applied when you bite. How much difference it makes varies from person to person.

Both cosmetic and symptom-related reasons

Injection into the masseter is chosen both by men who are bothered by a square jawline, which is a cosmetic concern, and by men who want to do something about clenching and grinding, which is a symptom-related concern. The same muscle is the target in both cases. Because the amount injected and the way it is balanced differ depending on which of the two is your main aim, please tell us what you are hoping for at the consultation.

Price, timing and what to expect

The number of units injected differs according to the bulk of the muscle and what you are hoping for, so this is explained at the consultation. If you wish to continue, the next injection is given after a similar interval. Repeating at short intervals is said to make the treatment less effective, so the doctor will tell you when the next one is due.

On the day, and afterwards

The injection itself takes about ten minutes, and the whole visit including the consultation is short. No incision and no hospital stay are involved. You can wash your face, shower and go to work as usual from the same day.

On the day of the injection, please avoid strenuous exercise, alcohol and anything that raises your body temperature, such as a sauna. Please also avoid rubbing or massaging the treated area.

Side effects that can occur

Swelling or bruising at the injection site, a temporary feeling that your bite is weaker, a feeling that hard foods are harder to chew, and asymmetry between the two sides of the face can occur. These resolve over time, but if anything concerns you, please contact us rather than deciding what to do on your own.

How this differs from a dental mouthguard

A mouthguard, or splint, made at a dental clinic is widely used for clenching and grinding. It has a different role from botulinum toxin, so it is not a question of one being better than the other.

This comparison describes general tendencies. A mouthguard may be the better fit where the aim is to protect the teeth, and some people use both. Diagnosis and treatment of the teeth and the jaw joint themselves belong to dentistry.

How the visit works

Step 1 — Booking

Book through LINE or the website. Even first-time patients can sometimes be treated on the same day.

Step 2 — Consultation

The doctor checks how the muscle tightens when you clench, and asks what you are aiming for, whether that is easing the symptoms or changing the impression of your jawline. Whether the injection can be given, and how much, is decided by the doctor. The consultation is ¥0.

Step 3 — Injection, about 10 minutes

With your consent, the product is injected into the masseter. A fine needle is used, though you may feel a sharp prick.

Step 4 — Aftercare

We explain how to spend the rest of the day and what to be careful about, and tell you roughly when the next injection would be due.

Who cannot have this treatment

• People with a neuromuscular disease, such as myasthenia gravis, Lambert-Eaton syndrome or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
• People with a hypersensitivity to botulinum toxin or to blood plasma products.
• People with glaucoma.
• People taking antiplatelet or anticoagulant medication.
• People taking any medicine that may affect neuromuscular transmission.

If you have had the same treatment at another clinic, an interval of two weeks to three months is required before it can be given here. Even where none of the above applies, the doctor may decide after the consultation that the treatment cannot be carried out. Please tell us about any medicines you take and any conditions you have.

Important information about this treatment

• Self-pay treatment: this treatment is not covered by public health insurance. The full cost is borne by the patient, and masseter botulinum toxin is ¥38,000.
• Unapproved pharmaceutical: the botulinum toxin product used at this clinic is not approved as a pharmaceutical in Japan.
• Approved products in Japan: there is no pharmaceutical approved in Japan for this indication, that is, for clenching and grinding of the teeth.
• Adverse drug reaction relief system: because the treatment uses an unapproved pharmaceutical, it is not covered by Japan’s Adverse Drug Reaction Relief System, even in the event of a serious side effect.
• Main risks and side effects: swelling or bruising at the injection site, a temporary feeling that your bite is weaker, difficulty chewing hard foods, and asymmetry between the two sides of the face. How the effect appears and how long it lasts vary from person to person.

Whether the treatment can be carried out is decided by the doctor at the consultation. Please ask the doctor about anything that is unclear.

Booking, access and cancellation

Getting here

The clinic is a one-minute walk from the Ginza exit of JR Shimbashi Station, and a one-minute walk from Exit 1 of Shimbashi Station on the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line. Shimbashi is also served by the Toei Asakusa Line and the Yurikamome. The address is Marucho Building 7F-B, 1-8-4 Shimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0004.

Opening hours are 14:00–21:00 on weekdays and 10:00–18:00 on weekends and public holidays. First-time patients are received until 30 minutes before closing, and returning patients until 10 minutes before. Appointments can be made through LINE or the website, and same-day slots are sometimes available. Telephone: 03-5962-8738.

Cancellation policy

Cancellations and changes made three days in advance are free. Two days to one day in advance are charged at 75%, and same-day cancellations at 100%. For course bookings, a cancellation counts as one session used.

Questions we are asked

How much is it, and is insurance accepted?

Masseter botulinum toxin is ¥38,000, tax included, and the consultation is ¥0. The clinic is entirely self-pay and does not accept health insurance, so no insurance card is needed.

How soon does it work, and how long does it last?

Changes generally appear over a few days to about two weeks. The effect lasts roughly three to four months, though this varies from person to person.

Will it change the shape of my face?

The masseter is the muscle that makes the jawline look square, so easing its tension can change the impression of the outline. How far the amount injected is aimed at that effect is decided together with you at the consultation.

Can I eat normally afterwards?

You can eat as usual from the same day. Some people feel for a while that hard foods are harder to chew, and that feeling returns to normal over time.

I already wear a mouthguard. Can I have this as well?

The two act on different things and some people use both. Please tell us at the consultation what you are already using.

Do I need to speak Japanese?

Consultations are conducted in Japanese. If you are not confident in Japanese, please let us know when you book so that we can tell you what to expect.

Will my family or my employer find out?

No. Because the treatment is self-pay and no health insurance is used, no notice of medical expenses is sent to your home or your workplace.

How do I pay?

Cash, and VISA, JCB, Mastercard, American Express and Diners Club credit cards and debit cards.