J. Mantyvaara et al., Perioral and dental perception of mechanical stimulus among subjects with and without awareness of bruxism, ACT ODON SC, 58(3), 2000, pp. 125-128
We studied whether perioral and dental sensitivity to mechanical stimulatio
n is changed in subjects with awareness of bruxism. Tactile detection thres
hold in the vermilion border of the lower lip and in the upper incisor was
determined using calibrated monofilaments (von Frey hairs) and spatial reso
lution threshold of the lip was determined using a grating orientation task
. The tactile detection threshold and the spatial resolution threshold in t
he perioral region were not significantly different between bruxers (n = 7)
and asymptomatic control subjects (n = 13). Neither was the detection thre
shold for mechanical stimulation of the tooth different between bruxers (n
= 6) and asymptomatic controls (n = 6). It is concluded that the tactile se
nsitivity of perioral region or the tooth is not significantly changed in s
ubjects with awareness of bruxism.