MANIFESTATION OF SLEEP BRUXISM ACCORDING TO THE AGE OF PATIENTS

What is it about?

Introduction: Bruxism is a widespread condition, affecting up to 85-90% of the general population, and in 5% of these individuals, the grinding evolves into a clinical condition. In many cases, sleep bruxism is latent, the disorder may be identified by its consequences (dental wear, etc.). This ascertains the need to develop diagnostic methods that may be able to identify bruxism at the initial stages of the disorder. Aim of the study: to determine the peculiarities of the clinical manifestation of primary sleep bruxism (SB) based on the age of the patients. Methodology: One hundred patients with primary SB (70 patients aged between 18-35 and 30 patients aged between 35-50) were investigated. The clinical features of SB (algic syndrome, myogenic disorders, temporomandibular disorders, dental wear, psychoemotional disorders, sleep quality alterations) were also investigated. Results: The expression of emotional stress in patients of various ages was almost identical. The highest clenching frequency and duration, as well as a higher clinical expression of sleep bruxism was observed in patients under 35. The components of the algic syndrome show a varied expression for different age groups – patients under 35 had more severe disorders of the nocturnal episodes and myogenic-spastic events; older patients (35-50) were characterized by a prevalence of local and diffuse myogenic structural disorders, arthrogenic pain and severe sleep disturbances. Conclusion: Electromyography and ultrasonography can reveal important morpho-functional peculiarities of the masticatory muscles that are associated with the severity of SB in patients from different age groups. Keywords: bruxism, electromyography, ultrasonography, temporomandibular disorders, diagnostics.

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