Mapping The Scientific Landscape Of Bruxism: A Comprehensive Bibliometric Analysis

Objectives: Bruxism is a jaw muscle activity defined as teeth clenching or grinding that can be seen both while awake and asleep. The central nervous system, autonomic nervous system, genetic factors and comorbidities play a role in its etiology. In recent years, a great deal of research has been conducted on bruxism. Materials and Methods: In this study, 1,278 articles searched with the keyword "bruxism" in the Web of Science (WoS) database were subjected to bibliometric analysis. Publication trends, citation analyses and keyword clusters were examined using VOSviewer software. Results: Bruxism research has increased since the 2000s and accelerated after 2013. By 2024, the annual number of publications reached 125. The Most Cited Study Lobbezoo et al. (2013, 2018) – International consensus reports on the definition and classification of bruxism. Thematic Clusters; Blue Cluster: Neurophysiological mechanisms and sleep bruxism, Yellow Cluster: Terminology and classification (Lobbezoo's consensus studies), Red Cluster: Pediatric bruxism and upper airway obstruction (snoring, mouth breathing), Green Cluster: Studies addressing ethical and legal dimensions. Conclusions: Bruxism is a disorder that requires a multidisciplinary approach (neurology, dentistry, sleep medicine, pediatrics). Both the causes and effects of bruxism impact many individuals. A detailed analysis of the top ten most cited publications reveals a primary focus on three main themes: (1) diagnostic and classification systems, (2) neurophysiological foundations and diagnostic methods, and (3) epidemiological risk factors and prevalence studies. Future studies should focus on interdisciplinary collaboration and digital diagnostic methods.The identification of dominant themes in the literature and the identification of subfields that are not yet sufficiently represented make our study original. This study provides a quantitative map of the bruxism literature and provides a guiding resource for future research.