Bruxist Activity Monitor System (BAMS) : An instrumental approach tool in the assessment of Bruxism

Abstract

The magnitude of harmful effects on dental structures, periodontium, masticatory muscles, and the temporomandibular joint, derived from temporomandibular disorders, specifically from sleep Bruxism, generates evidence that needs to be objectively collected. This paper introduces a portable device aiming at extracting and analyzing parameters (like timestamp, duration, or latency) from recordings obtained from the monitoring of occlusal activity, throughout a complete sleep cycle. An electronic device embedded in a mid-density medical grade silicon occlusal splint detects the moment in which the subject exerts sustained force, and records the time and length of the event, keeping the device on hold until a new event arises. The electronic device, based on a microcontroller, identifies occlusive events from an array of two piezo-resistive sensors and has a storage capacity of up to 36 hours of continuous activity. The collected data is wirelessly transmitted to an external module that is connected via USB to a PC. In the PC, the data is decoded, processed, analyzed, displayed, and stored in ordered files for case subjects, updating every recorded test for a complete history review. The proposed Bruxist Activity Monitor System (BAMS) was tested in one subject for more than 40 hours (5 sessions in 7 days). Preliminary results show the oral appliance endure without any significant damage over its surface nor undermining its functionality.