Anger held inward, aggressive dream content in craniomandibular disorders and bruxers

Abstract

Objective. To evaluate means in anger-in and aggressive dream con­tent in craniomandibular disorder/bruxers. Method. Two question­naires to evaluate anger-in and aggressive content in nightmares, clinical examination, and criteria for craniomandibular disorders/ bruxism were used in 70 subjects with craniomandibular disorders/ bruxism (66 females, mean age 31.3); in 28 bruxers without cranio­mandibular disorders (19 females, mean age 32.3); and in 39 controls without such disorders (26 females, mean age 30.6). Results. Anger-inward was not different between craniomandibular disorder/brux­ism (130.7) and non craniomandibular disorder/bruxism (105.6); but it was different when compared with control group (70.1): cra­niomandibular disorder/bruxism versus control group (p<0.001); non craniomandibular disorder/bruxism and control group (p<0.01). Frequencies of aggressive dream content in nightmares were about: craniomandibular disorder/bruxism: 71.4%; non craniomandibular disorder/bruxism: 67.9% and control group: 46.2% (p=0.02). Means in aggressive dream events were not different among the groups. Conclusions. Anger-in was higher in those with craniomandibular disorders/bruxism. Aggressive events in bad dreams and nightmares decreased from the more psychologically disturbed subgroup to the less psychological disturbed one.