BRUXISM

Bruxism as an entity must be differentiated between the bruxism we perform while we are awake ( wake bruxism) and bruxism we perform while sleeping (sleep bruxism). The former is a parafunction that occurs unconsciously when performing another motor activity such as clenching or grinding the teeth. This can lead to fatigue and muscle hypertrophy and, in more severe cases, to headaches (muscle headaches).
 However, there are also patients who grind their teeth during sleep, which corresponds to sleep bruxism, which belongs to the International Association of Sleep Disorders (IASP) to a movement disorder during different stages of sleep, especially non-REM sleep, where cyclical clenching and grinding occur. It is essential to know if it is secondary to something (apnea, reflux, etc.) in order to treat its etiology. Today, we know that bruxism can even be protective or simply a sleep behavior, which is why diagnosis is essential . For diagnosis, in addition to some clinical symptoms, a polysomnography can be performed in sleep medicine centers.
 Bruxism as a pathological entity has to be differentiated between bruxism during the day and bruxism during sleep. The first is a parafunction that is done unconsciously to make another motor activity with clenching or grinding of the teeth. This can lead to fatigue and muscle hypertrophy and in some more severe cases, this can produce headaches.
 However, there are also patients who grind their teeth at night: sleeping bruxism. According to the International association of sleep Disorders (IASP) the sleep bruxism is a movement disorder during the REM stage where the patient is grinding their teeth. For your diagnosis as well as some clinical symptoms, it can be performed a polysomnography in a sleep medicine center.