Sculpt a slimmer, more refined jawline without surgery or downtime. Our non-surgical jaw reduction treatments help relax overactive jaw muscles, creating a softer, more balanced lower face.
THE TREATMENT
JAWLINE REDUCTION
Some patients naturally have a strong, prominent jawline due to genetics or the effects of chronic clenching and teeth grinding. Dr. Alexander Rivkin offers a non-surgical solution using Botox to relax the masseter muscles, helping to reduce their size and gently contour the lower face for a slimmer, more balanced appearance.
WHAT YOU WANT
A SLIMMER JAW
Large masseter muscles can create a large, heavy looking jaw, which makes a person look many years older. In addition, a square and pronounced jaw can lead to a masculine look in females. A slim, feminine jaw line makes the face look more refined, with a soft and oval shape.
TESTIMONIALS
SEE WHAT OUR PATIENTS ARE SAYING
“As usual, Dr. Rivkin is the best! My eyes look great and cheeks are lifted nicely, no bruising and the swelling went down right away, thanks for the Arnica. So happy. Coming in next month for my next treatment.”
WHAT IS NON-SURGICAL
JAW REDUCTION?
At RIVKIN Aesthetics, we often have patients who come in complaining about heaviness to their lower face as they get older. Part of what they are seeing is skin laxity and descent of facial fat causing a “jowly” appearance. Another part of this heaviness effect, however, is an enlargement and squaring of the angle of the jaw. With time, many people develop an enlargement of their masseter muscle.
This is the main muscle responsible for chewing. Either through genetic predisposition to enlargement or through continuous exercise via teeth grinding and clenching, or both, the muscle gets bigger. Frequently, patients are grinding and clenching only at night, so they are not even aware that they are doing it. The signs can be subtle. Enlargement of the master muscle is one indication.
Dentists will note wearing of the teeth that is typical of grinding or clenching. Some patients note morning tenderness and fatigue around their jaw area. Unfortunately, with time things get worse–as you grind more, the muscles get stronger, as they get stronger, the grinding causes more damage to the teeth and temporo-mandibular joint.
It becomes a terrible habit as the brain becomes used to reacting to stressful thoughts or situations by grinding and clenching. As the masseter muscle enlarges and the jawline becomes more square and pronounced, a woman’s face becomes more masculine in appearance. Both men and women appear tense and stressed because they look like they are constantly clenching their teeth.
Some of our female Asian patients are genetically predisposed to having a strong jaw. Softening the angular appearance of that strong jaw gives them a more oval and gentle shape to their face. Traditionally, surgical jaw reduction was the only way to change the contour of the lower face. In this procedure, part of the mandible is removed to narrow the jaw. The procedure is painful and requires serious downtime.
At RIVKIN Aesthetics, Dr. Rivkin offers a non-surgical option for patients seeking to diminish the robust or asymmetrical appearance of their jawline with the innovative use of Botox. Botox treatment of teeth grinding will also provide relief from the pain and discomfort of habitual grinding and clenching.
CANDIDATES FOR NON-
SURGICAL JAW REDUCTION
Throughout the world, Botox injections have been shown to be a safe and effective way to reduce the masseter muscles. Because Botox partially weakens it, the muscle becomes smaller with time.
The other effect is that a weaker muscle is not able to grind like it used to, so any nighttime grinding habit is quickly broken. We have seen that many patients stop grinding after two or three sessions of Botox injections into the masseter muscles.
THE PROCEDURE
During your consultation, Dr. Rivkin will carefully assess your masseter muscles and Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) to determine if you’re a good candidate for non-surgical jaw reduction. He’ll also walk you through before and after photos, so you have a clear idea of what to expect.
Dr. Rivkin takes a conservative approach to Botox dosing, starting with just enough to reduce the muscle without over-treating. We evaluate your progress two weeks after the first session and add more units only if needed. This thoughtful approach helps ensure safe, natural-looking results.
The treatment won’t weaken your bite or affect your smile. While some improvement can be noticed relatively soon, full slimming effects may take up to six months as the masseter muscle gradually shrinks. The procedure itself is quick, requires no anesthesia, and involves minimal discomfort—we use ice to gently numb the area before injection.
For best results, Botox is typically repeated every 3 to 4 months for the first year. In many cases, once the clenching habit is broken and the muscle has been trained to relax, long-term maintenance may not even be necessary.
PROS AND CONS OF NON-SURGICAL
JAW REDUCTION
For patients suffering from TMD (Temporomandibular Joint Disorder) or for those that are simply unhappy with a large jaw, this treatment offers an ideal solution. Although it takes several treatments, the results are significant and may become permanent after a few sessions, once the habit of grinding is squelched. If left untreated, grinding and clenching can cause serious problems. Non-surgical Jaw Reduction often saves patients thousands of dollars in dental work down the road. Many patients report fewer headaches and significantly less tension, allowing them to have a full, restful night’s sleep. The procedure is quick, painless and extremely effective in reducing an oversized, masculine looking jawline. Side effects include the possibility of discomfort, minor bruising or redness at the injection site.
We minimize the chances of this by injecting with the smallest possible needle and being as gentle as possible with our Botox injections. We use ice to further prevent bruising and distraction methods to keep the procedure as comfortable as possible. Very rarely, this procedure can subtly change the smile if too much Botox is injected. For this reason, Dr. Rivkin and his staff are very conservative with how much Botox they use. To learn more about Non-Surgical Jaw Reduction, or to schedule a consultation, contact us online or by phone today. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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One common sign of aging is a wider lower face caused by chronic teeth grinding and enlarged masseter muscles. This changes the face shape from oval (youthful) to square (older). By injecting Botox into the jaw muscles, it helps relax them and reduces grinding. With three treatments spaced three months apart, the muscles start to shrink, resulting in a slimmer face and restoring a more youthful oval appearance.
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Botox is a great treatment option for TMJ and teeth grinding/clenching. The amount of Botox required varies for each person. For first-time patients, we usually begin with 20-30 units per side and schedule a follow-up after a week for additional units if necessary. Subsequent visits typically require fewer units. The goal of using Botox for TMJ is to weaken the muscles and reduce grinding by promoting muscle atrophy through limited use. Regular treatments (every 3 months) lead to a decrease in habitual clenching and a reduction in muscle strength and size, resulting in a slimmer jawline. As a result, fewer units are often needed after a few treatments. It's important to consult with an experienced injector for the best results!
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