Can I Get Botox To The Masseter Muscles After Jaw Implants?

Q: Dr. Eppley, 5 months ago I had jaw implants. I feel that the jaw muscles are a bit bulky and I’d like to get Botox to make them slimmer and more chiseled. Is there a legitimate risk of the Botox infecting the implants? I read one of your recent articles regarding placing filler on cheek implants and you recommended that a cannula be used to avoid injecting into the implant pocket. Are there any similar guidelines for infecting Botox into the jaw muscles?

A: Any time you place a needle through the skin and inject anything near an implant that is always some risk of causing an infection.  Botox nor jaw implants makes that any different. While the risk is probably low, it can never be zero. Unlike injectable fillers Botox injections have to be done by a needle not a cannula.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana