Investigation of Respiratory Function, Biomechanical Properties of Neck and Jaw Muscles and Pain Sensitivity in Individuals With Bruxism

Bruxism is defined as a repetitive jaw muscle activity characterized by teeth grinding or clenching accompanied by tooth wear and jaw muscle discomfort in the absence of a medical condition. Bruxism can occur during the day or during sleep and is defined as awake bruxism or sleep bruxism, respectively. According to the diagnostic criteria of the American Sleep Disorders Association (AASM), the New Classification of Sleep Disorders (ICSD-3), sleep bruxism requires the presence of a regular or frequent teeth grinding sound during sleep, accompanied by at least one of the following symptoms: signs of tooth wear, morning jaw fatigue or pain, and/or temporal headache and/or jaw locking. The etiology of bruxism is not fully understood but is influenced by psychosocial factors such as personality traits and stress. Sleep bruxism has been defined as a sleep-related movement disorder and has been reported to be associated with other sleep disorders. One sleep disorder reported to accompany bruxism is obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is characterized by upper airway obstruction that disrupts normal sleep patterns and ventilation despite respiratory efforts. OSAS is considered a risk factor for triggering bruxism. It has been suggested that rhythmic masticatory muscle activity during sleep bruxism plays a role in lubricating the upper gastrointestinal tract and increasing airway patency. This is assumed to facilitate better breathing. The possible relationship between sleep bruxism and sleep apnea suggests that the respiratory functions of individuals with bruxism may differ from those of individuals without bruxism. This difference is anticipated to be particularly pronounced in the supine sleep position. A review of the literature revealed no studies evaluating the respiratory functions of individuals with sleep bruxism. The study will also investigate sleep quality and headache severity in individuals with bruxism.