You may have already heard that some doctors and dental practitioners are using the popular cosmetic injectable Botox to treat more than just wrinkles. A growing number of practitioners are using the injectable to do things like controlling overactive sweat glands in patients with hyperhidrosis or helping to keep migraine headaches at bay. But while some of these uses are approved by the Federal Drug Administration, some newer uses are not – including use for temporomandibular joint disorder. But that could all change if a new clinical trial out of Canada yields the kind of results temporomandibular joint disorder patients are hoping for. "Currently, the Federal Drug Administration does not approve Botox for use with temporomandibular joint disorder," says Dr. Alexandra George, a dentist who specializes in the treatment of temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMJ disorder, at her Wexford, Pennsylvania, clinic. "But we’re hoping this study will help change that." The study is being conducted at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, by a team of researchers in the Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry and will follow five subjects with TMJ disorder who are considered heavy tooth grinders. Funded by a $10,000 grant from the Canadian Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, the study will monitor the patients over six months - the amount of time the Botox is thought to be effective. Researchers say that the purpose of injecting the Botox is to take some of the pressure off the jaw joints, but experts like George say that may not be enough. "The great thing about this study is that it could possibly help a lot of patients with certain types of temporomandibular joint disorder - but it won’t work for everyone," George says. That’s because, as researchers concur, not all TMJ disorder cases are caused by the same problems. When the problem is not muscular and is in fact caused by damage to the temporomandibular joint itself, Botox cannot be effective. "Patients who have problems with the actual TMJ joint are often prescribed arthroscopy procedures, which not only get an up-close look at the joint itself but can actually clean it out and inject it with steroids to bring down some of the inflammation," says George. As for the study, the results are yet to come in, but researchers are already seeing positive results and remain optimistic that treating temporomandibular joint disorder with Botox may not be an off-brand use for much longer.

If you’re one of the millions of Americans who suffer from temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMD, you'd probably do just about anything to get fast relief. That could explain the soaring popularity of a controversial new TMD treatment, which uses the cosmetic injectable Botox to stop the temporomandibular joint from clenching up, helping to ease the pain and stiffness caused by TMD.

Fans of the Bravo reality show "The Real Housewives of New York" may have noticed something a little different about the show’s breakout star, Bethenny Frankel. Famous for her outspoken opinions and strong jaw, Frankel’s mandibles have been looking a lot smaller in recent years. For her part, Frankel denies getting plastic surgery. Instead, she claims Botox is to thank for her softer new appearance, and the reason why may surprise you. When most people think of Botox, they think of the cosmetic medication’s paralyzing effects on facial wrinkles and fine lines, but more and more, people like Frankel are using Botox to treat something completely different: TMJ disorder.For cosmetic use, Botox works by temporarily paralyzing the muscles of the treated area, and blocking the signal from the nerves to the muscles. This causes the treated muscles to relax, smoothing and softening the wrinkles. When injected into the temporomandibular joint, or TMJ, Botox relaxes the TMJ and nearby jaw muscles, causing them to weaken and alleviating the hyperactivity of the TMJ muscles that could be contributing to the TMJ pain the patient experiences. But while patients of this procedure like Frankel have found relief with Botox, Dr. Alexandra George of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania cautions that Botox may not be the miracle TMJ treatment it is purported to be.