Bruxism is a common oral parafunctional activity. It is generally defined as the activity of grinding or gnashing of the teeth at times other than during the mastification. Long-term bruxism can lead to abnormal wearing of teeth, and severe wearing can lead to dental hypersensitivity, periodontitis, tooth decay, and pulpitis. Because of larger occlusal force, the temporomandibular joint bears an excessive load, which often results in temporomandibular joint disorders. Due to excessive force, patients suffering from bruxism often complain of masticatory muscle fatigue, tenderness, dysfunction, and myalgia. Pain is commonly seen in masseter muscles, exoskeleton muscles, and digastric muscles, sometimes masseter muscle hypertrophy, and even myalgia of the neck and back. Some people even have autonomic nervous system symptoms and headaches in the morning. This article mainly introduces the common causes of bruxism and progress of treatment methods, so that more dentists can correctly understand the disease, master the treatment and prognosis, thus to better provide effective treatment for patients.
