Objective Assessment of Bruxism and Treatment Response Using Digital Occlusal Analysis: A Clinical Study of Botulinum Toxin-A

Bruxism is a repetitive jaw-muscle activity characterized by clenching and/or grinding of the teeth and is associated with various oral and craniofacial consequences, including tooth wear, muscle pain, headaches, and temporomandibular disorders. Recent international consensus statements define bruxism as a motor behavior rather than a disease entity, emphasizing the need for multidimensional assessment approaches.

Current diagnostic methods primarily rely on self-reported symptoms and clinical findings. However, self-reports may be affected by recall bias and limited awareness, while clinical signs often reflect cumulative tissue changes rather than ongoing functional activity. Although electromyography and polysomnography can provide objective information regarding masticatory muscle activity, their routine clinical use is limited by cost, technical complexity, and accessibility.

Digital occlusal analysis systems have emerged as promising tools for the objective evaluation of occlusal force characteristics. These technologies allow quantitative assessment of bite force distribution, occlusal timing, and force balance, potentially providing indirect information about masticatory muscle function. Despite their increasing clinical use, the role of digital occlusal analysis systems in the diagnosis and longitudinal monitoring of bruxism remains insufficiently investigated.

Botulinum Toxin-A (BTX-A) has been increasingly used for the management of bruxism because of its ability to reduce masticatory muscle activity through inhibition of acetylcholine release at the neuromuscular junction. Previous studies have demonstrated reductions in bite force and symptom severity following BTX-A treatment. However, most available studies have focused on subjective outcomes or lacked placebo-controlled designs and objective functional measurements.

This study was designed to address these gaps by investigating whether digital occlusal analysis can serve as an objective tool for evaluating bruxism and monitoring therapeutic response. The findings may contribute to the development of more objective diagnostic and follow-up strategies for bruxism while providing additional evidence regarding the functional effects of Botulinum Toxin-A treatment.