Call today! 813.949.3300
Call today! 813.949.3300
Masseter Botox® is an injectable treatment that relaxes the masseter — the large chewing muscle at the angle of the jaw — to slim a wide or square jawline and relieve clenching, teeth grinding (bruxism) and TMJ tension. At Nu Image Medspa in Lutz, FL (3939 Cheval Blvd, off N Dale Mabry Hwy near Cheval), it is administered by Susan Wallace, MSN, ANP-BC — a Diamond-status Master Injector with 20+ years of experience and a 4.7-star rating.
Most plans use 20–50 units (roughly $260–$650 per visit, priced per unit). Clenching relief begins within 1–2 weeks; visible jaw slimming develops over 4–6 weeks and peaks by about 12. Results last 4–6 months with no downtime. Serving Lutz, Cheval, Carrollwood, Northdale, Odessa and Land O’ Lakes. Call 813.949.3300.
Nobody decides to clench. It happens in the in-between moments of a packed North Tampa life: replying to one more email after the kids are down, holding a merge lane on Dale Mabry, running tomorrow’s schedule in your head at a red light. The masseter — pound for pound one of the strongest muscles in the body — fires through all of it. And at night, for the many people who grind their teeth in their sleep, it works harder still, loading the jaw with hundreds of pounds of force while you’re not even awake to notice.
Here’s what makes the masseter different from every other muscle we treat with Botox®: It grows. Like a bicep under a training program, a masseter that clenches and grinds for years hypertrophies — it physically thickens. That’s why a face can gradually square out through the 30s and 40s even as the rest of it thins, and why so many people first hear about the problem not in a mirror but in a dental chair, when a Lutz-area dentist points out flattened molars and asks, “Do you know you’re grinding?”
Some clients come to us for the contour: A jawline that reads wider or heavier in photos than it used to, especially in the year-round outdoor snapshots this area produces — boat days, sidelines, school events around Steinbrenner and Gaither High. Others come for the symptoms: Morning jaw soreness, temple headaches, clicking, the dull TMJ ache that flares in stressful weeks. Both trace back to the same overbuilt muscle, and masseter Botox® addresses both at once, relaxing the muscle relieves the clenching load, and a relaxed muscle gradually de-bulks, slimming the lower face.
The treatment itself takes about 15 minutes with no downtime — we’re open until 7 on weekday evenings, so it slots in after work without touching the rest of your schedule. There’s no recovery window to plan around and nothing visible to explain the next morning. The change arrives gradually over weeks, which is exactly how most of our clients want it: A jawline that softens quietly, and mornings that stop starting with a sore jaw.
| Best for | Slimming a wide or square jawline; relieving clenching, teeth grinding (bruxism), TMJ tension and related headaches |
|---|---|
| How it’s done | Botox® or Dysport® placed into the masseter muscle at the angle of the jaw — usually 3–4 injection points per side |
| Typical units | ~20–50 units, based on muscle strength (men and heavy grinders often need the higher end) |
| Typical cost (Lutz) | About $260–$650 per visit · priced per unit · see monthly specials |
| Results appear | Clenching relief in 1–2 weeks · visible slimming over 4–6 weeks · full contour by ~12 weeks |
| Results last | 4–6 months — often longer between visits as the muscle deconditions |
| Downtime | None — return to work, errands or dinner the same evening |
| Injected by | Susan Wallace, MSN, ANP-BC · Diamond-status Master Injector · 20+ years’ experience |
Pricing is approximate and confirmed at your complimentary consultation. Units vary by individual anatomy and goals. Ask about current specials and flexible payment plans.
The masseter is a big, strong muscle, so it uses more product than fine-line areas like the forehead or crow’s feet. Most masseter plans at Nu Image Medspa use 20–50 units per visit, which puts a typical visit at roughly $260–$650, priced per unit. Where you land in that range depends on three things: How strong your masseter is (we ask you to clench while we palpate the muscle), whether the goal is slimming, symptom relief or both, and whether you’re a nighttime grinder, since grinders rebuild strength faster.
A useful expectation for first-timers: The masseter is one area where undertreating costs more than it saves. Too few units and the muscle shrugs off the treatment in a few weeks — you’ll have paid for a result that never fully arrives. Susan doses to the muscle in front of her, not to a template, and confirms your exact units and price before anything is injected.
Honest answer: For jaw slimming, no — cosmetic treatment isn’t covered. For TMJ and bruxism symptoms, coverage is rare and inconsistent; a few medical plans cover botulinum toxin for TMJ disorders under strict criteria, but most treat it as elective even when the relief is real. We’ll never pretend otherwise. What we can do is keep the math predictable: Per-unit pricing quoted up front, monthly specials, and payment plans that spread the cost of a maintenance schedule.
Every plan is mapped to your muscle strength, facial shape and goals. The most common reasons clients book it:
De-bulk an overbuilt masseter so a square or heavy lower face tapers into a softer, more heart-shaped profile — no surgery, no filler.
~20–40 units
Reduce the force of nighttime grinding to protect enamel, crowns and veneers — and finally wake up without a tired jaw.
~25–50 units
Ease the daytime clench that drives jaw soreness, clicking and TMJ discomfort by relaxing the muscle that powers it.
~20–50 units
Many clenchers carry pain up into the temples. Quieting the masseter often eases the headache pattern that rides along with it.
Mapped at consult
Stronger muscle mass means higher dosing — and careful planning to relieve grinding without softening a masculine jawline more than wanted.
Often 40–60 units
Pairs beautifully with Kybella® for under-chin fullness or dermal fillers for chin and jaw balance.
Not sure whether your jaw needs slimming, symptom relief or both? A quick consultation maps the muscle and confirms your units and pricing up front.
Both are FDA-approved botulinum toxin type A, and both quiet the masseter well. Dysport® is dosed on a different unit scale and diffuses a touch more — useful across a broad, strong muscle — while Botox® offers tightly targeted placement. Susan recommends the right one for your anatomy, and converts prior dosing if you’ve been treated elsewhere.
| Botox® | Dysport® | |
|---|---|---|
| Unit scale | ~20–50 units | Different scale — roughly 2.5–3× the Botox® number |
| Onset | 3–5 days | 1–3 days |
| Spread | Precise, targeted | Slightly wider diffusion |
| Duration | Both ~4–6 months in the masseter | |
Search this treatment and you’ll find the horror stories: Jowls that seemed to appear overnight, a smile that pulled crooked, a jaw too tired to chew a steak. Every one of those outcomes has the same cause — not the product, but the plan. Jowling happens when an injector de-bulks a masseter in someone whose skin was relying on that muscle for support, or overdoses it outright. A crooked smile happens when product drifts forward into the muscles that lift the mouth. Chewing fatigue happens when dosing ignores how hard that particular jaw actually works.
Avoiding all three is a candidacy-and-placement judgment made before the first injection — and that judgment is what you’re really booking. Susan Wallace, MSN, ANP-BC is a board-certified Adult Nurse Practitioner with a post-graduate degree from George Washington University and a clinical background at the National Institutes of Health. She has specialized in aesthetics since 2004, holds the Diamond-status Master Injector designation reserved for the top tier of injectors nationwide, and has trained many of Tampa Bay’s injectors herself. She’ll assess your muscle, your skin support and your grinding pattern — and tell you honestly if masseter Botox® isn’t the right tool for your face.
You clench; Susan palpates the muscle, checks skin support and grinding history, and maps units and price.
Quick, comfortable injections at 3–4 points per side — about 15 minutes. No anesthesia needed.
No downtime. Avoid rubbing the area, heavy chewing (gum), heat and hard exercise for the rest of the day.
Clenching eases in 1–2 weeks; slimming shows over 4–6 weeks, peaking by ~12, with an optional review.
We’re centrally located on Cheval Blvd, an easy drive from across the area. Tap your neighborhood for directions and local details.
Cheval Masseter Botox →
Northdale Masseter Botox →
Odessa Masseter Botox →
Carrollwood Masseter Botox →
Land O’ Lakes Masseter Botox →
Drive times are approximate — check live directions for your exact route. Free on-site parking at 3939 Cheval Blvd, Lutz, FL 33558.
It’s priced per unit. Most masseter plans use 20–50 units, so a typical visit runs about $260–$650 depending on muscle strength and goals. Your exact units and price are confirmed at your complimentary consultation, and we run new specials every month with payment plans available.
Most patients need 20–50 units. Lighter dosing suits mild slimming; strong clenchers, nighttime grinders and most men land at the higher end — sometimes 50–60 units. Susan doses to the muscle she palpates at your consultation, not to a template, because undertreating a strong masseter produces a result that fades in weeks.
Typically 4–6 months — longer than fine-line areas, because the goal is muscle relaxation rather than wrinkle smoothing. Many clients find the interval stretches over time: As the muscle deconditions with consistent treatment, it rebuilds strength more slowly between visits.
Relief comes first: Clenching and grinding ease within 1–2 weeks as the muscle relaxes. Slimming comes second: The visible contour change develops over 4–6 weeks as the relaxed muscle gradually de-bulks, and peaks by about 12 weeks — which is when before-and-after comparisons are most accurate.
In inexperienced hands, yes — jowling, a temporarily uneven smile and chewing fatigue are the known risks, and each traces to candidate selection, placement or dosing errors. That’s why the injector matters more here than almost anywhere on the face. Susan assesses your skin support and muscle before treating, doses conservatively where anatomy calls for it, and will tell you honestly if you’re not a good candidate.
Yes. The masseter powers clenching and grinding, so relaxing it reduces the force behind bruxism, eases TMJ tension and often relieves the temple headaches that ride along. It also protects dental work — grinding is brutal on enamel, crowns and veneers. Many clients use it alongside a night guard from their dentist: The guard shields the teeth; the treatment reduces the force itself.
For cosmetic jaw slimming, no. For TMJ or bruxism symptoms, coverage is rare — a small number of medical plans cover botulinum toxin for TMJ disorders under strict criteria, but most consider it elective. We keep costs predictable instead: Transparent per-unit pricing quoted before treatment, monthly specials and flexible payment plans.
You can eat normally right away — just skip chewing gum and very tough, chewy foods for the rest of the day, along with rubbing or massaging the area, intense heat and hard exercise. Stay upright for about four hours. Normal meals, work and errands are all fine immediately.
Constantly — it’s one of our most-requested treatments for men, usually for grinding and jaw tension rather than slimming. Male masseters are typically stronger, so dosing runs higher, and Susan plans placement to relieve the clenching without softening a masculine jawline more than the client wants.
We’re at 3939 Cheval Blvd, Lutz, FL 33558, just off N Dale Mabry Hwy near Cheval, Steinbrenner High School and Gaither High School — serving Lutz, Carrollwood, Northdale, Cheval, Odessa and Land O’ Lakes. Free on-site parking. Call 813.949.3300 to book.