Temporomandibular Joint And Occlusal Changes In Subjects With Awake And Sleep Bruxism

Introduction: The aims of this study were to analyze the association among (sleep and awake) bruxism, (static and dynamic) occlusion and temporomandibular joint modifications in healthy adults. Materials and methods: 60 healthy subjects (33 females and 27 males), 30 of them with bruxism, were investigated. Bruxism type, joint pain, muscle pain and/or fatigue, centric relation, dental wear, static and dynamic occlusion were analyzed. Results and discussion: Muscle pain and fatigue sensation of the masticator apparatus were higher in subjects with bruxism than in those without bruxism (3.23 vs 1.46). Joint noises and joint pain occurred with increasing frequency in subjects with bruxism. Sleep bruxism is associated with mandible lateral shift during mouth opening, joint pain and non-functional lateral guidance. A lack of occlusal involvement was found in the etiology of awake bruxism. Conclusions: Sleep bruxism is related with non-functional occlusion, while awake bruxism showed no occlusal interaction, suggesting the necessity of a different therapeutic approach.