How Many Times Jaw Botox to Make It Permanent?

Botox will never effect a permanent change, but with serial treatments you will certainly notice atrophy of the muscle (thinning) and a reduction in the dose necessary for full reduction.  Patients who have had 3-4 Botox treatments per year for several years will typically have very little masseter activity even when Botox has completely worn off.  

Thank you for your question. Botox in the masseter region usually takes longer than in the standard areas to take effect. I tend to use anywhere from 15 units (conservative treatment) to 50 units (for someone with really strong masseters) on each side to get the desired result. It may start within the first week but I tell my patients to wait three weeks before doing a more thorough evaluation. The treatment typically lasts longer than the forehead/crows feet/frown regions. It is also a gradual onset of the return of masseter function. I have tried the masseter injections myself and space the treatments around 4 months apart, but use smaller doses to maintain the effect. I normally know the effects are wearing down when I start to clench my teeth more heavily at night when asleep. Once you stop using Botox, the masseter muscles will return to their original baseline when the effects of Botox wears off completely.  If you continue, however, you may find that the results last longer with each treatment.

   Botox after multiple treatments may produce atrophy that can provide for longer intervals between Botox sessions.