First 4 hours
Avoid touching or massaging the cheek, lying flat, vigorous exercise, hot drinks and alcohol. Normal: speaking, smiling, light eating, drinking water, walking. This guidance applies after masseter treatment at our clinic.
First 24 hours
Avoid heavy exercise, sauna, aggressive chewing of hard foods, lying face-down. Adding back at 24 hours: light makeup, light-to-moderate cardio, normal sleeping position.
First 48 hours
Continue avoiding massage on the masseter area; all other normal activities resume.
What's normal and what's not
Normal: brief tenderness, a 'lighter' jaw sensation, mild chewing fatigue for 1-2 weeks. Worth a check appointment: asymmetric smile, difficulty closing the mouth fully, significantly weakened chewing, or persistent asymmetry past 2 weeks. Our guide to masseter treatment side effects explains what to look for.
Continuing splint use
Continue nightly wear as instructed — the splint and the aesthetic medicine work together rather than interfering. This matters most if you are managing teeth grinding.
Two-week and twelve-week reviews
A symptomatic and asymmetry check at 2 weeks; the substantive contour-change review at 12 weeks with comparison photography. See how long masseter treatment lasts for typical timelines.
By Dr Vishal Patel, BDS, MSc Aesthetic & Restorative Dentistry, GDC 103127, sole aesthetic prescriber DWL. Last reviewed 2026-05-17.
