Botulimic toxin as auxiliary treatment of bruxism

integrative literature review

Abstract

Bruxism is a parafunctional habit that is becoming more and more frequent today. It can be defined clenching or gnashing of teeth, which happens involuntarily during sleep or during the day. Its etiology is multifactorial, where the severity of damage and treatment vary from individual to individual. The therapeutic possibilities are wide, with more conservative treatments such as occlusal plaques, drugs, cognitive-behavioral treatment, and more invasive treatments such as the application of botulinum toxin type-A in some points of the masseter muscle. The aim of this study was to conduct a literature review to assess the efficacy and safety of treating bruxism with botulinum toxin type-A, which proves to be a new option for dental surgeons. According to the reviewed studies, this new treatment modality becomes effective in relieving tightening, dental squeaking and also symptoms such as muscle pain that is caused by this to function.