Jaw Muscle or Bone Needing the Contour?

I am looking at getting some botox to contour my jaw line, which is pretty thick looking sometimes. I definitely want to start out with something less permanent, but I do not want to do the botox if it will not be effective. My question is, is there anything that I can do to determine if the underlying problem is my jaw muscle or bone before I dig deeper into this problem? Thanks to all who respond in advance.

Tags:

Comment on this

4 Doctor Answers | Asked by mistyd

Doctor Answers (4)
Community Comments (0)

Lower-face contouring with botox

If you clench your teeth, you will feel the masseter muscle contracting in front of your ear. Botox, injected properly, can dramatically reduce the size of the masseter. This can redefine the jawline. Some people have a large jaw because of the shape of their mandible (bony part). Botox will not affect the shape of the mandible.

Contouring the Jaw Line With Botox

Botox works to lighten the lower part of the face by decreasing the mass of the Masseter Muscle. This muscle sits along the lower border of the jaw , in front of the ear. If you have thickening in this specific area and if the thickness obviously increases when you bite down, then your Masseter Muscle is a part of the issue and you should notice a difference with Botox injections. Know that these injections require some finesse in that you want some of the muscle to relax (decreasing the... more

Jaw Muscle or Bone Needing the Contour?

Yes, of course any qualified plastic and cosmetic surgeon would know the proper anatomy and be able to tell if the thick jaw was from bone or muscle. Botox injections will only decrease the size of the muscle and have no effect on the bone. Photos are much less effective in this evaluation IMHO as you wouldn't be able to feel the thickness of either muscle or bone.