THE USE OF BOTULINUM TOXIN TO CONTROL BRUXISM – LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

Bruxism is a repetitive activity of the masticatory muscles characterized by the opening or grinding of teeth and which is capable of having two specific manifestations: sleep bruxism and waking bruxism. The symptoms of this condition include: tooth hypersensitivity, sleep interruption, pain that radiates to the ear; stiffness of the jaw in the morning; teeth grinding noise that may be reported by interference; Pain in the temporomandibular joint and masticatory muscles. Delayed treatment, in some cases, results in dislocation of the temporomandibular joint, degenerative arthritis of this joint, abnormal wear of teeth, cheek biting, broken teeth and restorations. Several therapies have been studied in order to minimize the damage caused by this parafunction, botulinum toxin being one of them, which can be used to reduce the forces of muscle contraction and combine treatment with bite plates and bite correction. Botox will act on the injected muscle with the function of unblocking the release of a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that carries messages between the brain and muscle fibers. Botulinum toxin is applied to strategic points located in the muscles: masseter, temporalis and jaw. When applied to the muscles responsible for chewing, it will prevent friction between the teeth, which causes teeth grinding and clenching.