Should I have 40 units of Botox every 6 months or 20 units every 3 months?

Thank you for your question!  I have injected botox for temporalmandibular joint (TMJ) pain / masseter (jaw muscle) reduction almost daily for 8 years and know that this can be a life changing treatment for patients.  I have had optimal results with 20-24 botox units per side every 3-4 months (40-48 units total).  Having said that, each patient is different and some do well with higher or lower doses.  I recommend that my patients return every 3-4 months for a year to help reduce the size of the masseter and therefore break the habit of clinching and grinding.  Some patients do not require any more treatments after a year, and some may need more treatments to help stop the grinding and get pain relief.  I hope this information is helpful.  Be sure to seek out an expert injector who frequently treats this area.  Best of luck! 

Thanks for your question.  You never want to over do the Botox.  Since you have not had the injections before I would opt for the 20-30 units per side and see how it does.  More can be added but none can be taken away.  As for the interval, Re-inject as the effect is wearing off which can be well beyond the 3 month mark that is seen in the forhead and crows feet.  I have had it last as long as 6 months or longer using 20 units.  Good luck.
Dr. ODell

The answer depends on your muscles. Many dermatologists and plastic surgeons use 20-30 units in the glabella (the approved dose for this site is 20 units). In my practice, I try to use 25 units and find that this keeps most people good for 4 months. My preference is not to bring people back at 6 months because in most instances, one ends up starting over again.

Hello Huong0105,When it comes to Botox for jaw reduction/slimming it usually involves 20-25 units on each side of the jaw every 3-4 months.  After about 2-3 treatments is when you start noticing the jaw slimming effect.  Spacing out to 6 months would not be recommended unless you are still having improvement at 6 months.  Usually you are redosed when the effects of Botox begin to wear off (about 3-4 months).  I hope this helps and good luck.  

The dose of Botox does not necessarily predict the longevity of the correction.  Usually injection of the masseters with 20-50 units depending on the severity will last an unpredictable length of time so get the injection with what your doctor thinks you need and then wait and see how long it is before you experience symptoms again. you can start with 20 units

if you've never had the treatment with botox, I would definitely try with getting anywhere between 20 and 30 units per side. Then simply observe and see how long the general effect of Botox lasts for you specifically as every individual is different. After that you can make a decision how to proceed with treatments in the future. Good luck from New York City

The amount of botox injected for the masseter muscle to decrease your teeth grinding typically starts around 20 units/side however if you have a strong muscle you may need more.  The dosing does not predict longevity of the product - this is indicated by how you metabolize the drug however on average your botox should last around 3 months.  Sticking with an every 3 month injection is best for optimal results.  Good luck! 

Botox works by eliminating the mechanism that allows a muscle fiber to contract. It lasts as long as it takes your body to regrow that receptor.  Generally it is 3-4 months.  In some cases, larger doses of botox can give more longevity - we have seen this in the studies of crows feet dosages, and the recent recommendations to give 24 units instead of 12-16 units. Patients tend to get closer to 5 months of effect instead of 3-4 with the larger dose of 24 units. .However- when treating crows feet - there is no negative effect of "over treatment". i.e. - there is no droop or other issue that stems from the muscles being maximally weakened when treating crows feet. However- if you have 60 units of botox in the masseter muscle and feel that your ability to chew and bite down when you eat is negatively effected - then it may be worth doing the smaller doses at shorter intervals.  If you find that you get 6 months duration and no negative effect on your bite when you get the larger dose- then it probably does not matter in the long run which way you approach it. Hope that is helpful!