Treating severe bruxism with botulinum toxin.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Locally administered botulinum toxin, or BTX, is an effective treatment for various movement disorders. Its usefulness in treating bruxism, however, has not been systematically evaluated.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS:

The authors studied 18 subjects with severe bruxism and whose mean duration of symptoms was 14.8 +/- 10.0 years (range three-40 years). These subjects audibly ground their teeth and experienced tooth wear and difficulty speaking, swallowing or chewing. Medical or dental procedures had failed to alleviate their symptoms. The authors administered a total of 241 injections of BTX type A, or BTX A, in the subjects' masseter muscles during 123 treatment visits. The mean dose of the BTX A was 61.7 +/- 11.1 mouse units, or MU (range 25-100 MU), per side for the masseter muscles.

RESULTS:

The mean total duration of response was 19.1 +/- 17.0 weeks (range six-78 weeks), and the mean peak effect on a scale of 0 to 4, in which 4 is equal to total abolishment of grinding, was 3.4 +/- 0.9. Only one subject (5.6 percent) reported having experienced dysphagia with BTX A.

CONCLUSION:

The results of this study suggest that BTX administered by skilled practitioners is a safe and effective treatment for people with severe bruxism, particularly those with associated movement disorders. It should be considered only for those patients refractory to conventional therapy. Future placebo-controlled studies may be useful in further evaluating the potential of BTX in the treatment of bruxism.

• Authors: E K Tan, J Jankovic
• Journal: Journal of the American Dental Association (1939) (J Am Dent Assoc) Vol. 131 Issue 2 Pg. 211-6 (Feb 2000) ISSN: 0002-8177 [Print] England
• PMID: 10680389 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Neuromuscular Agents
• Botulinum Toxins, Type A

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Botulinum Toxins, Type A (administration & dosage, adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Bruxism (complications, therapy)
• Deglutition Disorders (etiology)
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Humans
• Injections, Intramuscular
• Male
• Masseter Muscle
• Mastication
• Middle Aged
• Movement Disorders (complications)
• Neuromuscular Agents (administration & dosage, adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Safety
• Speech Disorders (etiology)
• Tooth Abrasion (etiology)