The Efficacy of Gabapentin versus Stabilization Splint in Management of Sleep Bruxism

• Published in: Journal of prosthodontics Vol. 22; no. 2; pp. 126 - 131
• Main Authors: Sadat Madani, Azam, Abdollahian, Ebrahim, Azangoo Khiavi, Hasan, Radvar, Mehrdad, Foroughipour, Mohsen, Asadpour, Hadi, Hasanzadeh, Nadia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malden, USA Blackwell Publishing Inc 01-02-2013; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Amines - therapeutic use; Centric Relation; Clinical trial; Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids - therapeutic use; Dentistry; Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists - therapeutic use; Female; Follow-Up Studies; gabapentin; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid - therapeutic use; Humans; Insomnia; Male; Masseter Muscle - drug effects; Middle Aged; Muscle Contraction - drug effects; occlusal splint; Occlusal Splints; Orthodontic Appliance Design; Polysomnography; Single-Blind Method; Sleep; Sleep - drug effects; sleep bruxism; Sleep Bruxism - drug therapy; Sleep Bruxism - therapy; sleep stages; Sleep Stages - drug effects; stabilization splint; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1059-941X; 1532-849X
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-849X.2012.00914.x

Purpose: This study aimed to determine if the use of gabapentin is more efficacious than a stabilization splint with regard to the intensity of masseter muscle contractions and/or sleep quality for patients experiencing sleep bruxism (SB).
Materials and Methods: Twenty patients with SB participated in this clinical study. They were randomly divided into two treatment groups: stabilization splint group (n = 10) and gabapentin group (n = 10). The first polysomnographic examination was performed before the beginning of the experiment for all the participants. At the end of a 2‐month period of stabilization splint therapy or gabapentin usage, a second polysomnographic recording was made.
Results: Statistically significant reductions in the number of SB episodes per hour and per night, bruxism time index, total duration of SB episodes per night and number of SB episodes in stages NR I and NR II (p < 0.05) were observed in both groups after treatment. Both treatments significantly reduced the mean intensity of masseter muscle contractions during SB episodes. Moreover, the participants treated with gabapentin showed a significant improvement in total sleep time, slow wave sleep (stage III), and sleep efficiency (p < 0.05).
Conclusions: Gabapentin could be an effective treatment modality in SBs, especially in those with poor sleep quality.