Association between self-reported bruxism activity and occurrence of dental attrition, abfraction, and occlusal pits on natural teeth.
BACKGROUND
It is unclear whether subjects who report tooth clenching and/or grinding have more noticeable clinical signs of dental attrition, abfractions, and occlusal pits on their natural teeth than subjects who do not report bruxism activity.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine whether there was an association between self-reported (or not reported) bruxism activity and occurrence of dental attrition (anterior, posterior), abfractions, and occlusal pits on natural teeth.


METHODS
One hundred and two volunteer adult Greek subjects (mean age 44.6 +/-5.7 years) were classified into 2 groups (50 self-reported bruxers and 52 nonbruxers) according to 2 inquires regarding grinding and/or clenching of their teeth. Dental attrition (anterior, posterior) was assessed by 2 calibrated experienced examiners on diagnostic casts on a tooth-by-tooth basis, using a previously well established ordinal scale. Abfraction lesions (V-shaped, in the cervical region) and occlusal pits were recorded if these clinical signs were found on at least 2 natural teeth. Statistical comparisons between the 2 groups relative to the distribution of the occurrence of the 4 clinical signs were performed by means of the exact version of the chi-square test. The Fisher's exact test was used for the comparison of percentages. The intra- and interexaminer reliability was assessed by means of the Cohen's kappa coefficient (alpha=.05).


RESULTS
The results demonstrated that there was a significant association between self-reported bruxism and occurrence of the 4 clinical signs. Although the 2 groups were significantly different according to the distribution of the 4 clinical signs, the greatest differences occurred for the anterior and posterior attrition signs.


CONCLUSIONS
In this study, the occurrence of 4 clinical signs (posterior or anterior dental attrition, abfractions, and occlusal pits) was associated with self-reported bruxers. It is suggested that, primarily, signs of dental attrition may differentiate self-reported bruxers from nonbruxer subjects.
Tsiggos
Nikolaos
N
Department of Fixed Prosthesis and Implant Prosthodontics, Dental School, Aristotle University, Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, Greece. ntsiggos@dent.auth.gr
Tortopidis
Dimitrios
D
Hatzikyriakos
Andreas
A
Menexes
George
G
D000328:Adult; D002012:Bruxism / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012650:Self Disclosure; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014072:Tooth Abrasion / Q000209:etiology*; D019217:Tooth Attrition / Q000209:etiology*