Sleep bruxism

Abstract

Bruxism is a nonfunctional motor activity characterized by teeth grinding, teeth clenching, and grating of teeth. This dyskinesia usually occurs during sleep but can also be seen while being awake. Sleep bruxism is recently classified as a sleep-related movement disorder by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). Sleep bruxism (SB) can occur in all age group (infants–old age) but the prevalence decreases with age. It is usually diagnosed clinically but the diagnosis can be confirmed using polysomnogram (PSG) with special masseter muscle electrodes. SB can be asymptomatic and is diagnosed incidentally on dental evaluation or on PSG done for another indication. However, it can also be a cause of significant distress in some patients due to various symptoms associated with it. SB may also result in sleep fragmentation and cause excessive daytime sleepiness. SB can be idiopathic or iatrogenic, but can also be associated with various risk factors. There are various treatment modalities available for SB including referral to dentist. In this chapter, we discuss etiology, risk factors, pathophysiology, evaluation and treatment options for sleep bruxism.