Bruxism: aetiology, clinical signs and symptoms.

The aetiology of bruxism and therefore its management is poorly understood by dentists and their focus on a local dental cause has lead to much unnecessary irreversible dental treatment, with little impact on the incidence of bruxism. Clinical and neurophysiological evidence suggests that there is a strong link between bruxism and tooth wear in man and its counterpart in animals. In animals, keeping teeth sharp has importance for food retrieval and defense. In man, although this is no longer necessary, remnants of this mechanism remain as an inherited predisposition.