Abstract
BackgroundThis study aims to evaluate if invisible orthodontic retainers can affect sleep-time masticatory muscle activity (sMMA) over a short-term period in healthy individuals.MethodsNineteen (N = 19) healthy subjects underwent an in-home evaluation with a portable device for electromyographic (EMG) assessment. The study protocol provided two baseline recording nights, a night off, and then two additional nights with passive customized orthodontic retainers in situ. For each recording night, the sleep bruxism (SB) index (i.e., average number of SB events/hour) and the overall number of masseter muscle contractions were assessed. Comparison between values gathered over the four recording nights was made with a parametric test, based on the null hypothesis that there was no difference between wearing or not wearing the retainers as far as the sMMA variables are concerned.ResultsAverage SB index of the first two nights without the retainers was 3.0 ± 1.5, whilst the average values with the retainers in situ was 3.6 ± 1.9. ANOVA test showed the absence of significant differences between the four nights. Similarly, no differences were shown between the four nights as for the total number of sMMA events. Based on that, the null hypothesis was not rejected.ConclusionsFindings suggest the absence of relevant effects of invisible orthodontic retainers on sMMA in healthy individuals during the short-term period.
Highlights
This study aims to evaluate if invisible orthodontic retainers can affect sleep-time masticatory muscle activity over a short-term period in healthy individuals
Among the proposed mechanisms of action to explain their effectiveness on temporomandibular disorders (TMD) symptoms, it has been suggested a decrease in the electromyographic (EMG) activity of jaw muscles [2]
Potential participants were excluded based on the presence of any painful temporomandibular disorders, as screened with the Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (DC/TMD) guidelines [12], and/or a documented history of neurological, psychiatric, or sleep disorders
Summary
This study aims to evaluate if invisible orthodontic retainers can affect sleep-time masticatory muscle activity (sMMA) over a short-term period in healthy individuals. A recent review on bruxism management pointed out that the effects of OA on jaw muscles activity, as measured with polysomnography (PSG) or home EMG recordings, are not unequivocal [3] Within this complex field, things are further complicated by the emerging alert concerning the possible relationship between the use of orthodontic aligners and invisible retention devices and the onset of pain in the jaw muscles, which has been occasionally described [4]. Things are further complicated by the emerging alert concerning the possible relationship between the use of orthodontic aligners and invisible retention devices and the onset of pain in the jaw muscles, which has been occasionally described [4] This suggests that the effects of such appliances on masticatory muscles activity should be assessed. Concerns are raised based on past data suggesting that soft appliances may even increase the jaw muscles EMG activity during sleep time with respect to baseline values as well as to hard-resin appliances [5]
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