The putative causes of
bruxism are multifactorial and there are no definite measures for
bruxism management. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of
biofeedback therapy on
sleep bruxism, compared with
occlusal splint. Twenty-four volunteers with
sleep bruxism were divided into two groups: the GTB group that were treated with
biofeedback therapy (n = 12) and the GTO group that were treated with
occlusal splint (n = 12). A mini pressure sensor integrated with a monitoring circuit by use of a maxillary
biofeedback splint was fabricated. To foster the relaxation of the masticatory muscles and the nervous system, the wireless device received signals from
bruxism events and vibrations alerted the bruxer when the threshold was exceeded. Total episodes and average duration of
bruxism events during 8 hours of sleep were analyzed with the monitoring program (TRMY1.0). After 6 and 12 weeks, the episodes (P = 0.001) and duration (P < 0.05) in the GTB group declined dramatically. In contrast, there were no significant differences in the GTO group after the treatment (P > 0.05). Furthermore, the episodes had significant differences between the GTB group and the GTO group after the same period of treatment (P = 0.000). The results suggest that
biofeedback therapy may be an effective and convenient measure for mild bruxers, when compared with
occlusal splint therapy. The mini wireless
biofeedback method may be of value for the diagnosis and management of
bruxism in the future.