Association between polysomnographic parameters of sleep bruxism and attrition‐type tooth wear

Abstract

Background Clinically, sleep bruxism is considered to be associated with the presence of tooth wear, but strong evidence is still lacking. Objective To examine whether an association exists between polysomnographic parameters, recorded from patients with possible sleep bruxism and tooth wear. Methods Sixty‐three possible sleep bruxers (19 males and 44 females, mean ± SD age = 38.5 ± 11.4 years) were recruited among patients attending the Clinic for orofacial pain and dysfunction of the Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA). The incisal/occlusal tooth wear was recorded for each tooth clinically, using a 5‐point ordinal scale. Subsequently, all patients underwent an one‐night ambulatory polysomnographic recording, during which the number of bruxism episodes per hour of sleep (Epi/h), the number of bruxism bursts per hour of sleep (Bur/h), and the bruxism time index (BTI) were recorded and analysed. Logistic regression analysis was performed using the presence of tooth wear as the dependent variable, the polysomnographic recordings as independent variables, and corrected for age and gender. The Bur/h and BTI were removed from the analyses due to collinearity with the Epi/h. Additionally, the polysomnographic recordings were also tested for possible association with self‐reported grinding of the teeth during sleep. Results No significant correlation was found between tooth wear and Epi/h (P = 0.381). In addition, the presence of tooth wear was not associated with self‐reported parafunctions. Conclusion Clinically measured tooth wear and self‐reported parafunction seem not be related to the polysomnographic parameters of possible sleep bruxism.

Intraoral scanner-based monitoring of tooth wear in young adults: 12-month results

“…The latter was considered to indicate parafunction such as grinding. However, similar to the nutritional parameters, no association was observed between these factors and tooth structure loss, corroborating the results of other studies [31,33].…”

“…A possible reason is that tooth wear is generally cumulative and therefore, may not be associated with currently acting aetiological factors. Moreover, self-reported behaviour seems to reflect actual behaviour only to a limited extent [ 33 , 35 ]. The adaptation of responses to social desirability plays a role, and it is also important to consider the fact that memory is not a simple reflection of past events.…”

Pathophysiology of Demineralization, Part I: Attrition, Erosion, Abfraction, and Noncarious Cervical Lesions

“…Attrition refers to functional occlusal surfaces while abrasion is hard tissue loss on other oral surfaces (buccal or lingual). Enamel may be worn away by a gritty diet, functional occlusion, or parafunction [139][140][141][142][143][144][145][146]. On the other hand, cervical (class V) lesions are surface defects near the gingival margin.…”

“…Mineral loss within enamel may be reversible, but surface attrition of teeth is a permanent loss of mineralized tissue [10,85]. The wear of enamel is minimal with normal mastication, but bruxism and/or clenching are damaging long term [143][144][145]. Conventional wisdom (Frost) [16] holds that bruxism is a nocturnal habit, but that concept was not confirmed in a well-controlled sleep study [144].…”

“…The wear of enamel is minimal with normal mastication, but bruxism and/or clenching are damaging long term [143][144][145]. Conventional wisdom (Frost) [16] holds that bruxism is a nocturnal habit, but that concept was not confirmed in a well-controlled sleep study [144]. Managing diurnal (daytime) parafunction requires a revision in clinical strategy [146].…”