Effects on Sleep Bruxism Activity of Three Different Oral Appliances: One Year Longitudinal Cohort Study

Andrea Bargellini; Vanessa Graziano; Giovanni Cugliari; Andrea Deregibus; Tommaso Castroflorio

doi:10.2174/1567201819666220519123754

Effects on Sleep Bruxism Activity of Three Different Oral Appliances: One Year Longitudinal Cohort Study

Curr Drug Deliv. 2022 May 19. doi: 10.2174/1567201819666220519123754. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Andrea Bargellini^{1

2}, Vanessa Graziano³, Giovanni Cugliari⁴, Andrea Deregibus^{1

2}, Tommaso Castroflorio^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Surgical Sciences, Specialization School of Orthodontics, Dental School, University of Torino, Torino, Italy.
² Department of Surgical Sciences, Gnathology Unit, Dental School, University of Torino, Torino, Italy.
³ Department of Surgical Sciences, Dental School, University of Torino, Torino, Italy.
⁴ Department of Medical Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy.

PMID: 35598244
DOI: 10.2174/1567201819666220519123754

Abstract

Background: Different oral appliances (OAs) have been proposed to control sleep bruxism (SB) detrimental effects on the stomatognathic system.

Objective: The aim of the study was evaluate the effect of different OAs on SB activity and masticatory muscle activity (sMMA) measured by EMG.

Method: This longitudinal cohort study was conducted on 51 patients (21 M, 30 F, mean age 26,5 ± 3,5) suffering from SB diagnosed with a validated portable EMG-ECG holter and wearing different OAs: occlusal splints, functional appliance with metallic bites and clear aligners followed after 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months from delivery. A control group of 16 non-treated SB patients (6 M, 10 F mean age 27,1 ± 1,4) was used as reference. A multiple regression analysis was performed to estimate the differences between groups. Significance was set as P value <0,05.

Results: Occlusal splint reduced sleep bruxism index after 1 week, 3, 6 and 12 months from delivery while functional appliance only after 12 months. Occlusal splints reduced general phasic contractions only in the first week and sleep bruxism-related phasic contractions at 1 week, 3 and 6 months after delivery with no significant reductions after 12 months. Patients wearing clear aligners showed reduction in general tonic contractions after 6 and 12 months.

Conclusion: Resin and metal bites can reduce sleep bruxism index, while resin bites can reduce sleep bruxism-related phasic contractions. Clear aligners do not influence sleep bruxism index but can reduce tonic contractions.

Keywords: Sleep bruxism; diagnosis; gnathology; oral appliances; orofacial pain.; orthodontics.