Ecological momentary assessment for awake bruxism diagnosis and treatment

Abstract

Context: Awake bruxism (AB) is a common oral behavior that can cause damage to the stomatognathic system. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) is a method which collects information about the patient in their natural environment, with several alerts throughout the day. Aims: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of EMA in the diagnosis and treatment of AB, psychosocial aspects in individuals diagnosed with AB and to compare self-report of AB with the diagnosis of AB through the EMA. Subjects and Methods: The research was performed on an online questionnaire in two stages. The initial sample was composed by volunteers from 18 to 50 years-old, randomly recruited through social media, without restriction of sex and occupation. Settings and Design: The first stage involved answering an online questionnaire for the initial diagnosis of AB, and in the second stage, participants underwent EMA for 15 days and answered online questionnaires about perceived stress and anxiety. Statistical Analysis: Statistical analysis consisted of qualitative and quantitative descriptive statistics with parametric and nonparametric tests, with a significance level of 5%. Results: Results showed a significant moderate and positive correlation between the level of AB "tight muscles without teeth contact" and the level of anxiety. Conclusions: As a treatment, EMA can be effective; however, this will depend also on the patient's commitment.