Decreased amount of slow wave sleep in nocturnal bruxism is not improved by dental splint therapy.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To test the efficacy of dental treatment of bruxism on sleep quality, using slow wave sleep as the primary outcome parameter.

METHODS:

The study design consisted of an open label, unpaired comparison between normals and patients and a paired comparison between pre- and post-treatment patient recordings. Twenty patients suffering from bruxism (13 male, 7 female, mean age 35 years) and 6 normal volunteers (3 male, 3 female, mean age 30 years) participated in the study. Polysomnographic recordings were performed in a sleep laboratory in a general hospital both before and after treatment. The treatment was derived from a model that ascribes bruxism to a dental malocclusion, and consisted solely of dental therapy (Jeanmonood 1988).

RESULTS:

The untreated bruxism group had worse sleep than normals when comparing slow wave sleep (21% versus 32% slow wave sleep percentage in sleep period time) during the second polysomnographic recording, after one night adaptation. Therapy did not improve sleep quality; bruxism patients showed only minor, non-significant differences in sleep quality when comparing pre- and post-treatment recordings.

• Authors: G Nagels, W Okkerse, M Braem, P P Van Bogaert, B De Deyn, R Poirrier, P P De Deyn
• Journal: Acta neurologica Belgica (Acta Neurol Belg) Vol. 101 Issue 3 Pg. 152-9 (Sep 2001) ISSN: 0300-9009 [Print] Italy
• PMID: 11817263 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article)

Topics

• Adult
• Brain (physiology)
• Clinical Protocols
• Electroencephalography
• Electromyography
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Malocclusion (complications, physiopathology)
• Masticatory Muscles (physiopathology)
• Models, Neurological
• Muscle Contraction (physiology)
• Occlusal Splints
• Sleep (physiology)
• Sleep Bruxism (complications, physiopathology, therapy)
• Software Design
• Treatment Failure