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Background: Academic procrastination (AP), a common behavior among students, is influenced by factors such as fear of failure, task aversiveness, anxiety, and stress. Self-generated stress (SGS) refers to the subjective experience of tension that occurs in response to an existing situation. Individuals often overestimate the difficulty and attainability of a task, resulting in increased stress and extended stress duration. SGS can worsen mental and physical health problems, including bruxism. Therefore, this study investigates the possible underlying connections by examining the relationship between AP, SGS, and self-reported (SR) bruxism in medical and dental students., Methods: The present cross-sectional study was undertaken among a sample of 379 students pursuing medical and dentistry degrees in Turkey. The questionnaire, including the Academic Procrastination Scale-Short Form, SR bruxism Scale, and SGS Scale, was administered to the students. According to the responses given to the SR bruxism Scale, 3 types of SR bruxism groups were created as sleep, awake, and compound. A comparative analysis was conducted on AP, SGS, and SR bruxism among medical and dental students. Furthermore, the associations among AP, SGS, and SR bruxism were assessed using the utilization of correlation tables and regression analysis., Results: The prevalence of awake bruxism was higher among dental students (46.6%) compared to medical students (34.7%), suggesting a faculty-dependent trend. A significant positive correlation was observed between SGS and AP (r = 0.212, p < 0.001). Median AP values differed significantly based on awake bruxism (p = 0.007) and compound bruxism (p = 0.013), but not sleep bruxism (p = 0.352). SGS exhibited statistically significant differences across all SR bruxism types: sleep (p < 0.001), awake (p < 0.001), and compound (p < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis identified SGS as a significant risk factor for SR bruxism, with a one-unit increase in stress score elevating the SR bruxism risk by 1.086 times., Conclusions: This study revealed that self-generated stress significantly increases the risk for the development of SR bruxism. A significant relationship was found between academic procrastination and self-generated stress, and this relationship was particularly associated with an increased risk for the development of compound and awake bruxism. Stress-reducing therapy methods should be recommended for students to both increase academic success by reducing academic procrastination and prevent the negative effects of stress-related SR bruxism., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Bruxism is a recurrent parafunctional habit characterized by clenching or grinding teeth and/or jaw contractions. It is quite common among dental students and is associated with psychosocial factors such as stress and anxiety. This study aimed to compare bruxism awareness and self-assessment among clinical students with and without bruxism., Methods: This study included systemically healthy individuals aged 18 to 27 years. Intraoral and extraoral examinations were performed on 128 4th- and 5th-grade dental students with (64) and without bruxism (64), 4th and 5th-grade dental students at Bolu Abant İzzet Baysal University who met the inclusion criteria. The diagnosis of bruxism was based on the 2018 International Consensus and data collected through a validated 33-item questionnaire covering general information and bruxism awareness. The questionnaire included multiple-choice questions on bruxism types, risk factors, symptoms, and impact on periodontal tissues. Statistical analyses were performed via IBM SPSS Statistics, and p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant., Results: Clenching and teeth grinding during sleep, tooth wear, muscle fatigue, pain in the temples, jaw pain, joint trismus, neck pain, and jaw joint pain and clenching while awake were significantly different in bruxism patients (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of bruxism type, symptoms, treatment methods, periodontal tissues, occlusal trauma, diagnostic methods, or the relationship between lifestyle and bruxism (p > 0.05). While 71.9% of those diagnosed with bruxism stated that they had bruxism, 68.8% of those who were not diagnosed stated that they did not have bruxism., Conclusion: Although dental students are aware of bruxism, their understanding of its multifactorial nature and treatment options needs improvement. Increasing this knowledge could reduce the prevalence of bruxism among dental students and improve patient care., Clinical Trial Registration: The clinical trial was retrospectively registered on ClinicalTrials.gov under the identifier NCT06583044, with a registration date of 03/09/2024. https://register., Clinicaltrials: gov/prs/beta/studies/S000EUYA00000023/recordSummary ., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objective: To investigate the effect of the Coronavirus pandemic on the report of psychological status, bruxism, and TMD symptoms., Methods: An online survey was drafted to report the presence of psychological status, bruxism activities, and reported symptoms of TMDs perceived during the COVID-19 pandemic in a population of 506 individuals., Results: Mental health is not positive during the Coronavirus pandemic: almost half the subjects reported an increase in bruxism behaviors, while up to one-third reported an increase in their symptoms involving the TMJ and jaw muscles. Specifically, 36% and 32.2% of participants reported increased pain in the TMJ and facial muscles, respectively, and almost 50% of the subjects also reported more frequent migraines and/or headaches., Conclusion: Increased psychosocial distress during the COVID-19 pandemic can increase the frequency of TMD symptoms and bruxism behaviors, which, in turn, constitute a triangle of mutually interacting factors with the psychological and emotional status.

Objective: To assess the frequency of reported masticatory muscles activity during wakefulness (i.e., awake bruxism [AB]), levels of anxiety, depression, stress, and the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in college preparatory students., Methods: Sixty-nine college preparatory students participated in the study. AB was evaluated by the Oral Behaviors Checklist (OBC) and a smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment (EMA; [Bruxapp®]). Anxiety and depression were measured by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, stress was evaluated by the Perceived Stress Scale, and OHRQoL was obtained by The Oral Health Impact Profile-14. Data were analyzed by Pearson's correlation coefficient (α = 0.05)., Results: The average EMA-reported frequency of AB behaviors was 38.4%. Significant correlations were found between AB and the OBC, anxiety, depression, stress, and OHRQoL (p < 0.001)., Conclusion: College preparatory students demonstrated moderate frequency of AB, which was significantly correlated with psychosocial factors.

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate whether the presence of awake bruxism was associated with temporomandibular dysfunction symptoms, pain threshold at pressure, pain vigilance, oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL), and anxiety and depression symptoms in patients undergoing orthodontic treatment., Methodology: This observational study followed patients who had started receiving orthodontic treatment for six months. The following variables were measured three times (at baseline, one month, and six months): pressure pain threshold (PPT) in the right and left masseter, anterior temporalis, and temporomandibular joint (TMJ), and right forearm; pain vigilance and awareness questionnaire; and shortened form of the oral health impact profile (OHIP-14). Anxiety and depression symptoms were measured using the Beck anxiety inventory and the Beck depression inventory, respectively. The patients were divided into two main groups according to the presence (n=56) and absence (n=58) of possible awake bruxism. The multi-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was applied on the date (p=0.050)., Results: TMJ and/or muscle pain were not observed in both groups. Time, sex, age group, and awake bruxism did not affect the PPT in the masticatory muscles and pain vigilance (p>0.050). However, the primary effect of awake bruxism was observed when anxiety (ANOVA: F=8.61, p=0.004) and depression (ANOVA: F=6.48, p=0.012) levels were higher and the OHRQoL was lower (ANOVA: F=8.61, p=0.004)., Conclusion: The patients with self-reported awake bruxism undergoing an orthodontic treatment did not develop TMJ/masticatory muscle pain. The self-reported awake bruxism is associated with higher anxiety and depression levels and a poorer OHRQoL in patients during the orthodontic treatment.

Objectives: The study aimed to investigate the psychosocial predictors of bruxism. The association of various psychosocial factors such as alexithymia, emotional processing, state and trait anxiety, and stress with awake bruxism was analysed., Methods: The study involved 52 volunteers diagnosed with awake bruxism. The toolkit that was used included the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), the Emotional Processing Scale (EPS), the Cohen Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), and the State- and Trait-Anxiety Inventory (STAI), with independent individual psychological diagnoses being made for every patient. The results were statistically analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics 24., Results: The obtained data clearly show that psychological traits-both permanent dispositions (e.g., state anxiety and alexithymia) and temporary states (e.g., trait anxiety, emotional processing deficits, and psychological stress)-are significant determinants of awake bruxism. The percentage of explained variance indicates the presence of other factors as well., Conclusions: Psychosocial factors such as state anxiety and trait anxiety, alexithymia, and perceived stress are as important as somatic causes in the occurrence and maintenance of awake bruxism. The profile of the obtained data suggests the possibility of preventing or minimizing the symptoms of awake bruxism through properly constructed psychoprophylactic interactions., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2019 Agnieszka Przystańska et al.)

Objectives: To investigate the association between oral parafunctions, personality traits, anxiety and signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders in the adolescents., Methods: Two hundred and seventy adolescents were examined clinically for the signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders. Participants completed questionnaires about demographic variables, medical history, symptoms of temporomandibular disorders, parafunctional oral habits, Minnesota Multibasic Personality Inventory, and Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory., Results: Logistic regression analyses revealed that bruxism was associated with joint tenderness (Odds ratio (OR)=6.38, p < 0.01), joint noises (OR=6.02, p < 0.01) and masticatory muscle tenderness (OR=4.19, p < 0.05) to palpation. State anxiety showed increased risk of joint tenderness (OR=2.47, p < 0.05) and muscle tenderness (OR=3.25, p < 0.05) to palpation., Conclusion: Within the limitations of this study, it was concluded that oral parafunctions, especially bruxism, state anxiety, depression and hysteria were associated with signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders in adolescents.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of bruxism in students at the Federal University of the Jequitinhonha and Mucuri Valleys in Brazil. The secondary objectives were to identify the factors associated with bruxism; prevalence of dental wear; and to distinguish the signs and symptoms of temporomandibular dysfunction when present, and verify its relationship with bruxism., Methods: Two hundred fifty-three students (106 males, 147 females) were clinically examined and answered a questionnaire. Trained researchers performed the dental wear evaluation. The incisal edge and occlusal surface were classified as follows: no wear, wear into enamel, wear into dentin, and extensive wear into dentin. Demographic data and factors related to bruxism were obtained by a questionnaire. The participants who presented dental wear and habit of clenching/grinding teeth were classified as bruxers. The data were analyzed by the SPSS program (p < 0.05)., Results: The results showed that 31.6% of the students had bruxism. Of the 7084 teeth evaluated, 376 (5.3%) had some type of facet wear. The teeth that had the highest prevalence of wear facets were the canines. Stress, muscle pain, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain, and TMJ noise were significantly associated with bruxism (p < 0.001)., Conclusion: The prevalence of bruxism was 31.6% in this population. The factors most associated with bruxism were stress, muscle pain, TMJ pain, and TMJ noise.

Background: Many studies have shown the correlation between bruxism and stress that affects the quality of life of university students. The present study highlights this correlation-for the first time-in a group of university students in Italy., Methods: We have investigated the prevalence of awake and asleep bruxism and its correlation with perceived stress in a group of 278 Italian undergraduate students (117 M). A self report questionnaire was constructed using a socio-demographic test, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the item n. 8 of the Fonseca Questionnaire for presence of bruxism., Results: The perceived stress score using PSS-10 scale was 32.2 (SD 4.6, 95% CL 31.6-32.7) for all the subjects, with significant gender difference: M = 31.2 and F = 32.9 (P = 0.0019). The prevalence for awake bruxism was 37.9% (F = 40.8%; M = 34.2%,), while for sleep bruxism was 31.8% (F = 33.3%; M = 29.1%), both without significant gender difference. A positive correlation, with significant concordance and dependence, between stress score and awake bruxism was present for male students only., Conclusions: University students showed higher bruxism and stress levels compared to the general population, with higher stress for females, but, even if female students show higher stress, a correlation between stress and bruxism exists only for male gender. Further studies should be performed.

Aims: The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between levels of anxiety symptoms and prevalence of self-report of awake and sleep bruxism in patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD)., Method: One hundred and eighty-one female patients, aged 19-77 years, were consecutively evaluated. The patients were selected from among those who sought treatment at the TMD and Orofacial Pain Outpatient Clinic of the Petrópolis School of Medicine. All patients completed the questionnaire and underwent clinical examination, both components of the RDC/TMD, in addition to answering questions pertaining to the assessment of levels of anxiety symptoms, taken from the Symptom Check List 90 self-report instrument. The subjects were classified according to the presence of self-reported only awake bruxism, only sleep bruxism, both, or none. A logistic regression procedure was performed to evaluate the possible association through odds ratio between anxiety symptoms and self-reported awake or sleep bruxism. The cofactors for each outcome were age, self-reported bruxism during the circadian period other than the one being evaluated, and the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors., Results: It was possible to demonstrate the presence of a positive and statistically significant relationship between anxiety levels and self-reported awake bruxism. This finding was not observed in those subjects who reported sleep bruxism., Conclusions: A positive relationship was found between self-reported awake bruxism and levels of anxiety symptoms, but not between sleep bruxism and anxiety.

Background: Bruxism is a parafunctional habit characterized by grinding and/or clenching of the teeth. It may happen while awake (awake bruxism) or while sleeping (sleep bruxism). In adults, the prevalence is 20% for the awake bruxism and 8% for the sleep bruxism. Peripheral, central, and psychosocial factors influence the disorder, which may predispose to pain in the masticatory muscles and neck, headache, decreased pain thresholds in the masticatory and cervical muscles, limitation mandibular range of motion, sleep disorders, stress, anxiety, depression, and overall impairment of oral health. The aim of this study is to compare two distinct physical therapy interventions with dental treatment in pain, mandibular range of motion, sleep quality, anxiety, stress, depression, and oral health in individuals with bruxism., Methods/design: Participants will be randomized into one of three groups: Group 1 (n=24) intervention will consist of massage and stretching exercises; Group 2 (n=24) will consist of relaxation and imagination therapies; and Group 3 (n=24) will receive dental treatment. The evaluations will be performed at baseline, immediately after treatment, and at 2-month follow-up. Pain intensity will be assessed using the visual analogical scale, while pain thresholds will be determined using dolorimetry. Mandibular range of motion will be assessed using digital pachymeter. Sleep quality will be assessed by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, anxiety by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, stress by the Perceived Stress Scale-10, depression by the Beck Depression Inventory, and oral health will be assessed using the Oral Health Impact Profile--14. Significance level will be determined at the 5% level., Discussion: This project describes the randomization method that will be used to compare two physical therapy interventions with dental treatment in the management of pain, mandibular range of motion, sleep quality, anxiety, stress, depression, and oral health in individuals with bruxism. The study will support the practice of evidence-based physical therapy for individuals with bruxism. Data will be published after study is completed., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01778881.

The impact of oral health on quality of life is one aspect when it comes to understanding the significance of oral health. The aim of this study was to analyse the self-reported oral discomfort and clinical status of individuals reporting oral problems never/very seldom affecting quality of life during the last year and compare them with individuals who reported oral problems hardly ever/occasionally or often/very often during the the same period. The study comprised a stratified random sample of 515 individuals who lived in four parishes in the City of Jonköping, Sweden, and turned 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80 years of age in 2003. The impact of oral health on quality of life was examined using the OHIP-14 questionnaire. The individuals were also examined clinically and radiographically. Of the participants, 21% reported no experience of impaired quality of life and 20% of the individuals reported that they had experienced impaired quality of life often or very often during the last year. The highest frequency of oral problems was found among individuals aged 20 and 80 years. Subjective symptoms, such as grinding/clenching and headache, were found among 20- and 30-year-olds. Edentulous individuals and individuals with many missing teeth, individuals with severe periodontal disease or subjective dry mouth answered that they experienced problems according to the OHIP-14 often or very often. A number of individuals, young and old, had thus experienced subjective or clinically verified oral conditions associated with a negative experience of quality of life. This complementary information will provide a deeper understanding of the importance of oral health in the population.

In clinical practice, patients suffering from an occlusal parafunctional activity have increased. It can be observed that a negative influence of environment aggravates patient's health. The aim of this paper is to present the impact of environment and development of human civilization on the prevalence of bruxism and the correlation between them. The authors grasp the most relevant aspects of psychological and anthropological factors changing over time as well as their interactions and describe a relationship between chronic stress and bruxism. Current literature shows how contemporary lifestyle, working environment, diet, and habits influence the patient's psychoemotional situation and the way these factors affect the occluso-muscle condition.

The aim of the current study was to compare personality traits, presence of oral myofunctional dysfunctions, and other parafunctional habits in bruxing and nonbruxing children. Fifty-four patients aged 10 to 15 years were seen at the Comprehensive Pediatric Dental Clinic and examined by dentists using the RDC/TMD; speech therapists and psychologists were included in the study. Patients were divided into two groups: bruxing (A) and nonbruxing (B). Mean age was 13.1 years, S.D. 1.6. No significant differences in age or gender were found between groups. Group A comprised 44.44% of the population and showed a high frequency of middle conscientiousness scores and low frequency of low neuroticism scores. Presence of TMD, unilateral chewing, and high tongue tip position at rest were all significantly higher. Frequency of oral habits was higher in bruxers, who showed significantly increased gum chewing, and lip, cheek, and object biting compared to nonbruxing controls. Bruxism is considered a risk factor for temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD).

Objectives: The aims were to analyze whether the levels of self-reported bruxism and anxiety associate among otherwise healthy subjects, and to investigate the independent effects of anxiety and stress experience on the probability of self-reported bruxism., Study Design: As part of a study on irregular shift work, a questionnaire was mailed to all employees of the Finnish Broadcasting Company with irregular shift work (number of subjects: n=750) and to an equal number of randomly selected employees in the same company with regular eight-hour daytime work., Results: The response rates were 82.3% (56.6 % men) and 34.3 % (46.7 % men), respectively. Among the 874 respondents, those aware of more frequent bruxism reported significantly more severe anxiety (p<0.001). Adjusted by age and gender, frequent bruxers were more than two times more likely to report severe stress (odds ratio 2.5; 95% confidence interval 1.5-4.2) and anxiety (odds ratio 2.2; 95% confidence interval 1.3-3.6) than non-or-mild bruxers., Conclusions: Present findings suggest that self-reported bruxism and psychological states such as anxiety or stress may be related in working age subjects.

Aim: (1) To study the behavior disorders in children between 5 to 15 years. (2) To study the role of stress in causing behavior disorders. (3) To interpret the orofacial findings in children with behavior disorders. (4) Correlate the orofacial findings with behavior disorder., Materials and Methods: Ninty children with behavior problems between age of 5 to 15 years along with their parents who visited the Department of Child-Guidance Clinic, BYL Nair Charitable Hospital, Mumbai. Intraoral examinations were conducted. Behavioral disorders and factors predisposing to those disorders were recorded., Results: Behavior disorders with orofacial lesions was more common in age group of 8 to 10 years. The children were continuously under stress, which manifested in the form of various orofacial disorders or oral lesions. Most common orofacial condition was bruxism., Conclusion: Awareness of behavior disorders in dental treatment should guide the pediatric dentist to seek child psychiatric consultation for behavioral disorders to enable early evaluation of the underlying disorder., Clinical Significance: The present study suggested that orofacial and behavior characteristics can serve as markers to diagnose children with behavioral disorders. It also serves as a guide to dental clinicians to refer such children to psychiatrists or pediatricians for early identification, prevention and treatment.

This study examined the relationship between anxiety, depression and bruxism in 99 patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Patients were divided into two groups: 58 patients with bruxism and 41 without bruxism. Symptoms of TMD were evaluated according to the Craniomandibular Index. The psychological condition of patients was assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scales (HADS) and the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA). The mean anxiety and depression scores (HADS and HAMA) for patients with bruxism were statistically significant higher in patients with bruxism compared with those without bruxism. Thus, there may be an association between bruxism and higher levels of anxiety and/or depression in patients with TMD.

Introduction: There is emerging evidence of increasing use of legally available synthetic compounds as recreational drugs. While there are some changes to legislation relating to these synthetic compounds, often the emergence of the agents outpaces the effect of the legislation to curb their use, and the legal status of these agents may change as more information on their toxicity becomes known. TFMPP [1-(3-trifluoromethylphenyl) piperazine] was initially temporarily controlled under Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act in 2002 in the US, but following further review and lack of published information on toxicity, it was removed from this control in 2004. In addition, there are very few "user reports" of effects when TFMPP is taken alone or in combination with BZP [1-benzylpiperazine]., Case Reports: Three patients presented to our emergency department after ingesting 4 tablets thought to be 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine (MDMA, street name "Ecstasy") over the course of an evening. They presented with dissociative-type symptoms, nausea, and signs consistent with sympathomimetic toxicity. All 3 improved with conservative management and observation, within 12 hours of presentation. Serum analysis demonstrated the presence of TFMPP and BZP at concentrations of 263 +/- 5.8 ng/mL (range 260-270 ng/mL) and 46.7 +/- 15.3 ng/mL (range 30-60 ng/mL), respectively. No other recreational drugs were detected in an extended toxicological screen of blood and urine samples., Discussion: This is the first case series of confirmed toxicity associated with recreational use of TFMPP in combination with BZP, with clinical features not consistent with BZP toxicity. In our view, the current legal status of TFMPP should be reviewed.

Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) and psychological status were examined in adult patients with a deep bite and compared with an adult age- and gender-matched control group with neutral occlusion. The deep bite group consisted of 20 females (mean age 30.3 years) and 10 males (mean age 33.1 years). The control group comprised 20 females (mean age 29.4 years) and 10 males (mean age 34.2 years). TMD examination, according to the Research Diagnostic Criteria for TMD (RDC/TMD), cephalometric lateral radiographs, registration of occlusion, and bite force were performed. To test the mean differences between craniofacial morphology, bite force, the occurrence of RDC/TMD diagnostic groups, and headache between the two groups, unpaired t-test, Fisher's exact test, Mann-Whitney U test, and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed. Deep bite patients more frequently reported nocturnal and diurnal clenching (P < 0.01), an uncomfortable bite (P < 0.001), jaw stiffness (P < 0.05), and 'ringing' in the ears (P < 0.001) than the controls. Headache (P < 0.001), muscle disorders (P < 0.001), disc displacement (P < 0.05), and other joint disorders (P < 0.05) occurred significantly more often in the deep bite group compared with the controls. Somatization scores were significantly higher in the deep bite group compared with the controls (P < 0.001). Headache, muscle disorders, disc displacement, and other joint disorders were significantly associated with a number of craniofacial dimensions and psychological factors [R between 0.32 and 0.72; P < 0.05 and odds ratio (OR) from 0.45 to 7.46; P < 0.05]. These findings suggest that a deep bite, in particular with retroclined upper incisors, can represent a risk factor for TMD.

Autism is a developmental disorder characterized by severe deficits in social interaction and communication. A wide spectrum of medical and behavioral symptoms is exhibited by children with autism, which makes routine dental care very difficult in them. Bruxism or forceful grinding of teeth is one of the sleep problems commonly observed in children with autism. Our patient, a 4-year-old male child with autism, presented with complaints of pain and sensitivity of the teeth. There was history of excessive grinding and clenching of teeth. Limited oral examination revealed severe attrition of all primary teeth. Treatment was planned under general anesthesia because of his poor cognitive abilities. Full-mouth rehabilitation, including placement of stainless steel crowns for all primary molars, was done. Following treatment there was a significant decrease in the grinding habit over the next 2 months. Although the communication and behavioral problems in children with autism pose challenges for the dentist, treatment with proper planning and a lot of patience can definitely make a difference.

Objectives: The success of referral for psychotherapy and the predictors thereof are investigated in dentistry in an outpatient unit for psychosomatics., Methods: 238 patients were asked in a telephone interview concerning their satisfaction with the consultation as well as any change in their complaints and treatments after their contact with the outpatient unit., Results: 82.3 % of the patients were satisfied with the consultation, and 55.9 % reported an improvement in their complaints. In 76.1 % of the patients psychotherapy was indicated, and 56.7 % showed motivation and were referred to psychotherapy. Thereof, 66.7 % actually began treatment. Introspective capacity and motivation for psychotherapy predicted successful referral. Patients suffering from somatoform disorders were significantly less motivated to begin psychotherapy and showed a tendency toward premature termination of psychotherapy. In patients with anxiety disorders, the reverse was the case. Patients who did not begin psychotherapy changed their dentist significantly more frequently., Conclusions: The consultation at the outpatient unit can be regarded as successful insofar as four-fifths of the patients were satisfied and two-thirds of those referred actually began psychotherapy, which in turn significantly reduces "dentist shopping."

This study aimed to assess the prevalence of bruxism and emotional stress in Brazilian police officers, due to exposure to stressful situations, and to assess the relationship between the type of work done by a police officer and the presence of bruxism and emotional stress. A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Military Police of the State of São Paulo, Campinas, SP, Brazil. The final sample included 394 male police officers (mean age = 35.5 years). Bruxism was diagnosed by the presence of aligned dental wear facets associated with the presence of one of the following signs or symptoms: self-report of tooth-grinding, painful sensitivity of the masseter and temporal muscles, discomfort in the jaw musculature upon waking. The Stress Symptoms Inventory (SSI) was applied to evaluate emotional stress. The type of work done by the police was classified as organizational or operational, the latter being assumed as the more stressful since it exposes the police officer to life risk. The results showed a prevalence of bruxism of 50.2% and a prevalence of emotional stress of 45.7%. The Chi-square test indicated an association between stress and bruxism (P < .05). No significant association was found between emotional stress and type of work (P = .382) or between bruxism and work activity (P = .611). It could be concluded that emotional stress was associated with bruxism, independently of the type of work done by police officers.

Background and Aim: Bruxism has been defined as a diurnal or nocturnal parafunctional habit. Etiology of bruxism has remained controversial and some investigators believe that psychological factors may play a major role in promoting and perpetuating this habit. The aim of this case-control study was to assess the existence of an association between bruxism and psychosocial disorders in adolescents., Participants were chosen among 114, 12-14 year old students (girls). They were divided into two groups, bruxers and nonbruxers, on the basis of both validated clinical criteria and interview with each patient. A few participants were excluded on the basis of presence of systemic disorders, TMJ disorders, other oral habits, primary teeth, defective restorations and premature contacts. Following matching of two groups in regard to parent's age and education, mother's marital status, child support status, mother's employment status, and socio-economical status, 25 cases and 25 controls were enlisted. A self report validated questionnaire (YSR, 11-18 yr) was then filled out by both groups for the evaluation of 12 psychosocial symptoms., Results: Remarkable differences in certain psychosocial aspects were found between the two groups. Prevalence of psychosocial disorders including Thought Disorders (P < 0.005), Conduct Disorders (P < 0.05), Antisocial Disorders (P < 0.06) as identified by YSR was significantly higher in bruxers. Significant differences between the two groups also emerged in total YSR scores (P < 0.005). The results of Odds Ratio revealed that a bruxer adolescent has 16 times greater probability for psychosocial disorders than a non-bruxer one. Fischer exact test and T-test were used and Odds Ratio and Confidence Interval was estimated., Conclusion: Support to the existence of an association between bruxism and psychosocial disorders has been provided.

Parafunctional habits, such as bruxism, are contributory factors for temporomandibular disorders (TMD). The aim of this study was to evaluate the maximal bite force (MBF) in the presence of TMD and bruxism (TMDB) in young adults. Twelve women (mean age 21.5 years) and 7 men (mean age 22.4 years), composed the TMDB group. Ten healthy women and 9 men (mean age 21.4 and 22.4 years, respectively) formed the control group. TMD symptoms were evaluated by a structured questionnaire and clinical signs/symptoms were evaluated during clinical examination. A visual analogical scale (VAS) was applied for stress assessment. MBF was measured with a gnatodynamometer. The subjects were asked to bite 2 times with maximal effort, during 5 seconds, with a rest interval of about one minute. The highest values were considered. The data were analyzed with Shapiro-Wilks W-test, descriptive statistics, paired or unpaired t tests or Mann-Whitney tests when indicated, and Fisher's exact test (p < 0.05). TMDB women presented lower values of MBF as compared to those presented by TMDB men and by the control group. MBF for TMDB men was similar to that of the control group. The proportion of TMDB women with muscle pain and facial/teeth/head pain upon waking up was significantly higher than that of men. Control women presented significantly lower stress scores than the others. It was concluded that MBF was reduced in TMDB women, as they presented more signs and symptoms. Men presented higher MBF values than women, but TMD and bruxism did not significantly decrease MBF. Stress was not an influencing factor for TMD and bruxism in men.

This study tested the hypothesis that individuals show considerable variability in EMG activity produced by the masticatory muscles when they are instructed to clench than when they are instructed to make minimal or maximal contact. Twenty individuals without temporomandibular disorder (TMD) pain participated in a biofeedback-training task to establish a relaxed baseline. They were instructed to clench their teeth according to their personal definition of the term, while EMG data were collected. This process was repeated two more times, followed by similar instructions to make minimal and maximal contact between the teeth. Results showed that individual subjects were very consistent in their behavioral definition of clenching and that the subjects taken as a whole showed markedly greater variability. The precise behavioral meaning of clenching varies across individuals. The failure to account for these individual differences may explain in part reported discrepancies on the role of parafunctions in TMD.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the existence of associations between bruxism and psychic and occlusal factors., Methods: Participants in this study (n=85) were recruited from the Section of Odontostomatology, Deparent of Neuroscience, University of Pisa, Italy. They were split into two groups, bruxers (n=34) and non-bruxers (n=51), on the basis of the presence of both clinical and anamnestical indicators of bruxim. All participants were administered two self-reported validated questionnaires to evaluate (MOODS-SR) and panic-agoraphobic (PAS-SR) spetra. A number of occlusal variables (deep-bite: cross-bite, open-bite, mediotrusive and laterotrusive interferences, slide RCP-ICP, laterotrutsive guides, canine and molar classes) were also recorded., Results: With regards to occlusal factors, the only association was revealed between bruxism mediotrusive interferences (p < 0.05). As for psychiatric investigation, significant differences between bruxers and controls emerged for the presence of both depressive (p < 0.01) and manic symptoms (p < 0.01) in MOODS-SR, and for stress sensitivity (p < 0.01), anxious expectation (p < 0.05), and reassurance sensitivity symptoms (p < 0.05) in PAS-SR. In particular, both mood (p < 0.01) and panic-agoraphobic (p < 0.05) spectra symptoms seem to differentiate bruxers from controls in males, while in females strong differences emerged for stress sensitivity symptoms (p < 0.05)., Conclusions: It can be confirmed that certain psychic traits are present in bruxers, while occlusal factors are not useful parameters to discern bruxers from non-bruxers.

This study involved a group of 110 TMD/bruxing behavior patients (30 mild, 40 moderate, and 40 severe bruxers) which was compared to a group of 40 nonTMD/nonbruxer controls, with the objective to test the alternative hypothesis that, regarding hostility, there were significant differences between these groups. The mean age in the group of TMD/bruxers was 31.81 years (SD: 11.2, range 14-61) and in the control group was 30.03 (SD: 10.96, range 16-66). Patients were initially classified as presenting TMD and bruxing behavior according to previous criteria. The Cook-Medley Inventory and the Beck Depression Inventory were used to assess levels of hostility and depression, respectively, in bruxers and controls. There were no statistically significant differences in the levels of depression between the three groups of bruxers. However, the difference between the groups of bruxers and controls reached significance (unpaired t test P<0.001). Our results indicated that there was not statistically and significant difference in the levels of hostility between the three groups of bruxers and between the mild group of bruxers and control group. However, there were statistically and significant differences in the level of hostility between the moderate group of bruxers and the control group (P<0.01), and between the severe group of bruxers and the control group (P<0.05). When bruxers were classified into two groups: one presenting minimal to mild depression (N:31) and the other presenting moderate to severe depression (N:19), the group presenting moderate to severe depression demonstrated a level of hostility of about 23.36. The group presenting minimal to mild depression demonstrated a level of hostility of about 17.32, and this difference was statistically significant (unpaired t test, P<0.0004). These results suggest that in these subgroups of TMD/bruxers, increased depression corresponds to increased hostility and provides support for previous investigations indicating that there is a relationship between hostility and bruxism (but only in the groups with moderate and severe bruxism).

The purpose of this study was to document the prevalence of oral jaw behaviors concomitant to bruxism in TMD+bruxing behavior patients and in nonbruxer controls. Clinical examination, questionnaires, and specific criteria to allocate patients to mild, moderate, and severe groups of TMD and bruxers were used. The sample consisted of 274 TMD+bruxing behavior patients and 52 control non-bruxing behavior groups evaluated at the Center for the Study of TMD. The mean age of the TMD+bruxing behavior group was about 33.11 years old (range 16.66, SD = 11.52) as compared to 34.90 years old (range 17-67, SD = 14.26) in the control group. Oral jaw behaviors were assessed in the mild, moderate, and severe TMD+bruxing groups, and in the corresponding control group. It was found that the prevalence of oral jaw behaviors was higher in the TMD+bruxing behavior group as compared to the control. Hence, concomitant oral jaw behaviors predominated in bruxers and increased with its severity. The data reinforce the need to assess TMD patients in terms of the presence of bruxism, its severity, and concomitant oral jaw habits. Such approach will enable the clinician to have better understanding about the role of these behaviors in TMD. Epidemiological data was also provided regarding jutting the jaw forward (a rarely-described oral jaw habit) in a relatively large sample of TMD+bruxing patients, suggesting a more clinical intervention in children and adolescents. This study is the first to document the prevalence of specific oral jaw habits in a relatively large sample of TMD+bruxing behavior classified by degree of severity. Results suggest that TMD+bruxing patients may present many other additional oral jaw habits which may concur to increase masticatory muscle activity thus leading to TMD signs and symptoms. Factors responsible for the increased frequency of oral jaw habits with the severity of bruxism behavior remain unknown and therefore further studies are needed.

Sleep disturbance and bruxism are common clinical characteristics of the chronic facial pain patient. Previous studies have shown that chronic pain patients reporting disturbed sleep show more psychopathology and respond less readily to treatment. Bruxism has been linked to emotional stress and periods of difficult life change. The present study explored the question of whether sleep disturbance or bruxism are useful predictors of psychopathology in the facial pain population. Psychopathology was measured by using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI). It was predicted that facial pain patients who reported sleep disturbance or bruxism would correlate with more elevated scores on the MMPI profiles. The results of the study revealed a strong association between self-report of disturbed sleep and higher MMPI scores. No difference between the MMPI scores of bruxers and non-bruxers was found. It was concluded that sleep disturbance may be an effective predictor of psychological disturbance within the facial pain population, while bruxism was not found to be associated with psychological disturbance as measured by the MMPI.

Using a single-subject design, two methods of treating nocturnal bruxism were evaluated. Neither technique was successful; both resulted in a rebound effect when treatment was stopped. In addition, the role of anxiety in bruxing behavior was evaluated. Contrary to most theoretical beliefs, bruxing resulting from anxiety was not as important as "anticipatory" anxiety resulting in bruxing.