Purpose: Bruxism and parafunctions are potential risk factors for implant and prosthodontic treatment failure. However, the etiology of bruxism remains unknown. This study sought to clarify the relationship between bruxism behavior and a salivary stress biomarker level.
Materials and methods: Forty-six volunteers (23 men, 23 women) participated in this study. Bruxism behavior was assessed using a self-administered questionnaire, study casts, and BiteStrip, a miniature electronic screener used to detect sleep bruxism. The questionnaire consisted of six items asking about bruxism, occlusion, jaw functional limitation, and dentition. Occlusal wear was assessed from dental casts and calculated as the sum of the facets in the maxillary arch segment. Participants used BiteStrip at home for one night and the score was evaluated. Two-minute stimulated whole saliva samples were collected from participants to measure daytime levels of chromogranin A (CgA), a major salivary stress biomarker. Nonparametric tests of the relationship between variables were performed using the Spearman R and Kendall tau statistical correlation tests.
Results: There was a positive correlation between self-reported bruxism and self-reported jaw functional limitation. Occlusal wear did not significantly correlate with occlusion, jaw functional limitation, or dentition, but it did significantly correlate with self-reported bruxism behavior, as well as the BiteStrip score. It was interesting to find that the CgA level was significantly negative in correlation with the BiteStrip score.
Conclusion: Sleep bruxism is believed to be a stress-related sleep disorder. The results suggest that daytime psychological stress level is significantly negative in correlation with sleep bruxism behavior.