Interrelation of bruxism and painful temporomandibular joint disorder

Orlova О.R.¹, Konovalova Z.N.², Alekseeva A.Yu.¹, Mingazova L.R.^2, Soyher M.I.<sup>2

1</sup> First Moscow State Medical University named after I.M.Sechenov 
² Center of Interdisciplinary Dentistry and Neurology, Moscow

Bruxism is characterized by jaw clenching, grinding or rubbing of teeth, and it is one of the main etiological factors of painful temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJD) and is more often diagnosed in patients with this pathology. The development of temporomandibular joint disorder is probably caused by the hyperactivity of the masticatory muscles, which are anatomically closely related to the joint structures, and the increased pressure on the TMJ, which causes the dislocation of the joint disc, accompanied by pain and movement disorders in the joint. For the diagnosis of bruxism the questionnaires, clinical examination, polysomnography, electromyography (EMG), brux-checkers are used. The leading way to treat bruxism and TMJD is the local administration of botulinum neuroprotein (BNP) to the spasmodic muscles. In many studies, BNP was administered in minimal or moderate doses to the masticatory and temporal muscles or only to the masticatory muscles. In the EMG study of injected (masticatory) and non-injected (temporal) muscles in patients with bruxism, it was found that episodes of bruxism decreased only in injected muscles. Success in the treatment of the TMJD in patients with bruxism is achieved by injecting BNP into the temporal, masticatory and lateral pterygoid muscles. 

Key words: bruxism, temporomandibular joint, botulinum therapy, botulinum toxin type A, TMdJ, facial pain. 
For citation: Orlova О.R., Konovalova Z.N., Alekseeva A.Yu. et al. Interrelation of bruxism and painful temporomandibular joint disorder // RMJ. 2017. № 24. P. 1760–1763.