Management of nocturnal bruxism with an anterior stop point appliance

Bruxism is an oral parafunctional activity. The more common symptoms are tooth grinding and tooth clenching; however, many other symptoms can be related to bruxism. Dentists treat the results of this condition which may include tooth wear, tooth mobility, tooth fracture, hypertrophy of masticatory muscles, head or neck ache, or poor sleep patterns. The etiology and pathophysiology of this disorder are still unclear. Anterior stop point appliances have been shown to be beneficial in the management of the signs and symptoms associated with bruxism, including nocturnal headaches in certain patient populations. The object of this study was to determine if anterior bite stop appliances with a small discluding element would be helpful in managing the subject's nocturnal bruxism symptoms.