The effect of continuous positive airway pressure and mandibular advancement device on sleep bruxism intensity in obstructive sleep apnea patients.

We aimed to evaluate and compare the effects of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and mandibular advancement device (MAD) in reducing the intensity of sleep bruxism (SB) in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Forty-eight adults with OSA were subjected to single-night full polysomnography (PSG) in the Sleep Laboratory of the Wroclaw Medical University. The respiratory events and bruxism episodes were scored according to the standards of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. The patients were assigned to the CPAP treatment or the MAD treatment in accordance to apnea-hypopnea index (AHI). The second PSG examination was conducted during the MAD or CPAP treatment to assess the effect of treatment on bruxism episode index (BEI) and AHI. The mean AHI and mean BEI in the study material were estimated to be 30.05 ± 15.39 and 5.10 ± 5.31, respectively. The bruxism parameters were significantly decreased in both the CPAP and MAD groups. Compared to the MAD, the CPAP treatment was more effective in reducing AHI; however, there was no significant difference in effectiveness of CPAP and MAD treatment in BEI reduction. Both CPAP and MAD treatments were effective against SB coexisting with OSA. Due to the application of these treatment options, the risk of OSA should be estimated in patients with SB.

The Relationship between Simple Snoring and Sleep Bruxism: A Polysomnographic Study.

Simple snoring is defined as the production of sound in the upper aerodigestive tract during sleep, not accompanied by other pathologies. Sleep bruxism (SB) refers to repetitive phasic, tonic, or mixed masticatory muscle activity during sleep. In this study, we investigated the relationship between simple snoring and SB in patients without obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). A total of 565 snoring subjects underwent polysomnography. After examination, individuals with OSA were excluded from the study group. Finally, 129 individuals were analyzed. The bruxism episode index was positively correlated with maximum snore intensity. Phasic bruxism was positively correlated with snore intensity in all sleep positions. Bruxers had a significantly decreased average and minimum heart rate compared with non-bruxers. Supine sleep position seemed to have a significant impact on snore intensity and SB. In summary, our study showed the relationship between SB, snore intensity, and body position. Phasic bruxism was positively correlated with snore intensity despite the body position, which is an interesting and novel finding.