Wide Face – Masseter Treatment
Years of ‘bodybuilding the chewing muscles’ can lead to massive enlargement of the masseter muscle. This can not only make the face look wider than it is, but also cause significant functional disorders. A surgical procedure can provide lasting relief and ensure that you feel comfortable again.
What Causes Facial Broadening?
The masseter muscle, which extends from the lower jaw over the upper jaw to the ear, not only fulfils essential functions such as biting and chewing, but also has a noticeable effect on your facial aesthetics. When it is overused (e.g. by teeth grinding or excessive chewing gum), the masseter muscle becomes wider and more pronounced and the jaw takes on a rectangular shape.
Duration of the treatment
3–4 hours
Fit for everyday life
After 1–2 weeks
Follow-up treatment
Suture removal after 14 days and lymphatic drainage.
Clinic stay
Outpatient or inpatient
The most frequently asked questions
What is the cause of a wide face due to the masseter muscle?
A wide face can result from excessive use of the masseter muscle, such as through teeth grinding, chewing gum, or other habits. These activities lead to an enlargement of the muscle and can widen the face.
How is the masseter muscle treated?
The treatment is either minimally invasive through the injection of Botox, which relaxes the muscle and reduces its volume, or surgical by removing parts of the muscle through the oral cavity. Both procedures offer aesthetic and functional benefits.
How long does the Botox treatment for the masseter take, and when does it show results?
The treatment takes about 15 minutes and can be performed on an outpatient basis. The results are visible after about two weeks, when the muscle relaxes and the face appears slimmer.
How long does the effect of the Botox treatment last?
The results of the Botox treatment typically last 3 to 6 months. A follow-up treatment can be performed if needed.
Are there visible scars after the treatment?
No, neither the minimally invasive Botox treatment nor the surgical removal of the masseter result in visible scars, as the surgical access is through the oral cavity.
What additional benefits does the masseter treatment offer?
In addition to facial slimming, the treatment can relieve migraines, teeth grinding, and jaw tension. It not only creates a more aesthetically pleasing face but also improves quality of life.
The Key to an Aesthetic Face – The Masseter
The masseter is the strongest muscle in the entire human body. However, its significance goes far beyond mere chewing function – it is a central architect of facial harmony. At the same time, overactivity or hypertrophy of this muscle can lead to a cascade of functional disorders, ranging from teeth grinding (bruxism) and jaw tension to the loss of aesthetic facial expression.
Masseter Treatment at SailerClinic
If health problems or an unattractive broadening of the face are caused by an increase in the masseter muscle, the experienced team at the SailerClinic will be happy to help you.
A broad face is often accompanied by strongly developed chewing muscles (masseter and temporalis muscles), which often lead to very painful atypical neuralgia due to years of clenching the teeth. This can be compared to years of ‘bodybuilding of the chewing muscles’. The massive enlargement of the masseter muscle not only leads to an unattractive broadening of the face, but also to functional disorders such as mouth opening disorders, salivary gland congestion and migraines. In addition, there may be a reduced vertical length growth of the upper jaw with barely visible teeth.
Before-and-after pictures
How Does the Masseter Treatment Work?
In masseter treatment, a muscle relaxant (e.g. Botox) is injected directly into the masseter muscle. This relaxes the muscle and reduces the strain on it, which in turn reduces its volume and visually narrows the face. However, masseter treatment has more than just aesthetic benefits: many patients report a significant reduction in teeth grinding and migraine attacks after successful treatment of the masseter with Botox.
The masseter treatment takes about fifteen minutes and can be performed with local anaesthesia if desired. Due to its simplicity and brevity, the masseter Botox treatment is usually performed on an outpatient basis, whereupon you can immediately resume your daily activities. The effect lasts for about three to six months and should be renewed as needed.
The Procedure Is Safe and Does Not Leave Any Visible Scarring
The treatment focuses on the surgical removal of internal masseter muscle segments via the oral cavity. This procedure is safe for the facial nerve and does not leave any visible scarring. To break the ‘vicious cycle of pressing’, a therapy with a special splint (Anti-Press-MiniSplint) is carried out as an accompanying measure.
Facial Narrowing and Lengthening Through Reduction of Jaw Angle Width or Cheekbones
In the case of a prominent cheekbone/zygomatic arch region, this can be narrowed using a method specially developed by the SailerClinic. Depending on the growth type, the face is lengthened by setting the upper jaw lower (using a procedure known as a LeFort I osteotomy) and the chin vertically. This achieves better visibility of the upper front teeth when speaking and laughing. A facial narrowing and simultaneous facial lengthening is a frequent procedure at our SailerClinic. Accompanying measures include, for example, the reduction of the width of the mandibular angle, the zygomatic arches and the buccal fat pad, as well as masseter reduction plasty.
When Does the Masseter Botox Treatment Become Visible?
Treatment of the masseter with Botox is not immediately apparent. It takes a few days for the chewing muscle to relax and for the volume to decrease due to the reduced strain. The effect becomes visible after about two weeks, when the shape of the face is visibly narrower.
Masseter treatment with Botox is a minimally invasive and extremely safe and effective procedure, but like any medical procedure, it carries certain risks. When treating the masseter with Botox in Zurich, temporary slight redness, swelling at the injection sites or bruising may occur, which usually subside after a few days and require no further treatment. In exceptional cases, asymmetric relaxation of the muscle may occur, which may need to be treated. For these reasons, a personal consultation after your procedure is essential.
We efficiently minimise the few risks of the masseter treatment by means of a comprehensive preliminary discussion in which we take note of your previous illnesses and discuss the further procedure with you. The masseter Botox treatment does not require any surgical intervention and does not cause any scarring, which makes this procedure particularly smooth.
Do you have any questions? Contact us today and arrange your personal and individual consultation.
Your expert team
Hermann F. Sailer Prof. Dr. med., Dr. med. dent., Dr. h. c. mult., Dr. sc. h. c. mult.
Specialist in oral, maxillofacial, and facial surgery, founder of the clinic, senior director
Martin Lanzer PD Dr. Dr. med. Dr. med. dent., eMBA
Specialist in oral, maxillofacial, and facial surgery, clinic director and CEO
Do you have questions? Contact us.
Get in touch with us – Our expert team will contact you.
"After the surgery, I finally see the person I’ve always been on the inside. My confidence has increased tremendously, and I no longer hide from the world. Thank you to the team."
Angela B., Aesthetic Surgery Patient
