Effects of orthodontic aligners on the ecological report of awake bruxism

• Published in: Journal of oral rehabilitation Vol. 51; no. 10; pp. 2133 - 2139
• Main Authors: Colonna, Anna, Lobbezoo, Frank, Capelli, Eleonora, Bracci, Alessandro, Lombardo, Luca, Pollis, Matteo, Manfredini, Daniele
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01-10-2024
• Subjects: aligners; awake bruxism; ecological momentary assessment; orthodontic treatment; Orthodontics; Sex differences; smartphone; Teeth; Variance analysis; awake bruxism; orthodontic treatment; smartphone; ecological momentary assessment; aligners
• ISSN: 0305-182X; 1365-2842; 1365-2842
• DOI: 10.1111/joor.13810

Background
The demand for orthodontic treatment with aligners has recently increased, but their effects on awake bruxism (AB) behaviours have to be evaluated yet.
Objectives
This investigation assessed if aligners can affect oral behaviours (i.e. tooth contact, teeth clenching, teeth grinding and mandible bracing) that are related with the AB spectrum.
Methods
The investigation was performed in a sample of 32 consecutively recruited healthy adult patients who required orthodontic treatment. The study protocol involved three different sessions of 1‐week monitoring without aligners, with passive aligners and with active aligners, respectively. All patients underwent an orthodontic treatment with aligners and used a smartphone‐based application for a real‐time report (i.e. ecological momentary assessment [EMA]) of their AB behaviours. Recording time was set from 8.00 to 12.30 and from 14.30 to 22.00. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the average reported frequency for each activity within and between the different sessions. The coefficient of variation (CV) was assessed to evaluate daily fluctuations within the 7 days monitoring periods.
Results
The average reported frequency of the relaxed condition was 64.9%, 63.0% and 60.0% during the sessions without aligners, with passive aligners and with active aligners, respectively. ANOVA showed no significant differences in any of the AB behaviours within (i.e. between 7 days of evaluation) and between the monitoring sessions (i.e. before orthodontic treatment, with passive aligners, with active aligners). No sex differences were detected, except for the ‘tooth contact’ report that showed a higher frequency in females.
Conclusion
The impact of our results in the orthodontic field is not negligible; clinicians can find support for the hypothesis that from a global point of view, wearing or not wearing aligners (passive and/or active) does not influence the frequency of AB behaviours at the short term.
The demand for orthodontic treatment with aligners has recently increased, but their effects on awake bruxism have to be evaluated yet. The impact of our results in the orthodontic field is not negligible; clinicians can find support for the hypothesis that from a global point of view, wearing or not wearing aligners does not influence the frequency of AB behaviours.