Is camera recording crucial for the correct diagnosis of sleep bruxism in polysomnography?

Due to potential issues, several sleep laboratories conduct sleep bruxism diagnosis without the use of a camera, instead relying mostly on electromyographic monitoring. The purpose of the study was to determine if a camera is necessary for the polysomnographic evaluation of sleep bruxism and how sleep bruxism parameters change when a camera is not utilised. The study material was actual polysomnographic recordings made in the years 2017-2020. A total of 199 single-night video-polysomnographic recordings of patients who were suspected of having sleep bruxism were chosen at random. The first analysis involved the evaluation of the video recording, while in the second video recording was not used. The findings revealed that all the examined sleep bruxism indices had statistically significantly higher values for the recordings made without the use of a camera. According to the findings, noncamera recordings had decreased sensitivity and specificity when the criteria of bruxism and mild-to-moderate bruxism were taken into account, and decreased sensitivity in the case of the criterion of severe bruxism. Sleep efficiency, the apnea/hypopnea index, and arousals had independent effects on the bruxism episode index value in the analysis of noncamera recordings. In conclusion, camera-based polysomnography still appears to be the most reliable way to assess the severity of sleep bruxism, particularly in patients who also report other sleep disturbances. The presence of symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing, insomnia, or other sleep disorders should prompt us to use camera-based diagnostics.