Design and evaluation of a novel technology for ambulatory monitoring of bruxism events

Abstract

Bruxism is a widespread phenomenon whose diagnosis is usually made from non reliable, self-evaluation of the patient on one hand, and clinical signs whose absence does not mean absence of bruxism on the other hand. Different methods have been used in research setting for the assessment of bruxism such as portable electromyography but currently there exists no reliable method for the diagnosis of bruxism at home. In this paper, the hardware and software architecture of a complete ambulatory system, enabling long term monitoring of bruxism by measuring clenching/grinding forces of the patient is presented. The results of the tests conducted in vitro to evaluate the sensor's response are also presented. In vivo tests exhibited good correlation with an electromyography of the masseter muscle. With a maximum thickness of 2 mm, the discomfort for the patient is reduced and corresponds nearly to the usual thickness of an occlusal splint. This inductively rechargeable instrumented splint enables a long-term use over different periods and clenching/grinding data can be retrieved locally or transmitted wirelessly via WiFi, on a secured server, for further analysis.