Affiliation:
1. Department of Medical Biotechnologies, School of Dentistry University of Siena Siena Italy
2. Postgraduate School of Orthodontics University of Ferrara Ferrara Italy
3. Department of Orofacial Pain and Dysfunction, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA) University of Amsterdam and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Amsterdam The Netherlands
4. Department of Neurosciences, School of Dentistry University of Padova Padova Italy
Abstract
AbstractBackgroundThe demand for orthodontic treatment with aligners has recently increased, but their effects on awake bruxism (AB) behaviours have to be evaluated yet.ObjectivesThis 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.MethodsThe 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.ResultsThe 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.ConclusionThe 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.