Assessment of Awake and Sleep Bruxism in Fibromyalgia Patients with Temporomandibular Disorders

<b>Background/Objectives:</b> Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic pain syndrome often associated with musculoskeletal tenderness, fatigue, and sleep disturbances. Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) and bruxism are frequently observed comorbidities in patients with FM, yet their objective assessment remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate masticatory muscle activity in patients with fibromyalgia and temporomandibular disorders using both static surface electromyography (sEMG) and a 24 h portable EMG device (Dia-BRUXO<sup>®</sup>). <b>Methods:</b> Thirty female patients (mean age 53.6 ± 10.5 years) underwent comprehensive clinical and gnathological evaluations, followed by static EMG recordings of the masseter and temporalis muscles and continuous monitoring of the left masseter over a 24 h period. <b>Results:</b> Results revealed a significantly higher number of bruxism episodes during wakefulness (80.9 ± 130.8) compared to sleep (24.0 ± 26.8; <i>p</i> < 0.0001). The Masseter Time Index (MTI) and Masseter Work Index (MWI) were also significantly higher during wakefulness (<i>p</i> < 0.001), indicating a predominance of daytime masticatory muscle activity. Static sEMG analysis showed generally preserved bilateral muscle symmetry, accompanied by mild imbalances in occlusal load distribution and increased global muscle activation. <b>Conclusions:</b> These findings suggest that patients with fibromyalgia and temporomandibular disorders exhibit increased baseline masticatory muscle activity, particularly during wakefulness, possibly reflecting sustained neuromuscular tension. Continuous EMG monitoring appears to provide an objective tool for characterizing bruxism patterns and complements clinical assessment and self-reported data. However, the absence of a control group and the exclusive inclusion of female patients limit the generalizability of the results. Further studies including appropriate comparison groups are needed to clarify the specificity and clinical implications of these findings.

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Publication Details

Journal
Journal of Clinical Medicine
Published
2026-01-07
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm15020460
Primary Topic
Temporomandibular Joint Disorders
Type
article
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article

Assessment of Awake and Sleep Bruxism in Fibromyalgia Patients with Temporomandibular Disorders

Giuseppe Alessandro Scardina, Dorotea Fontana, Enzo Maria Giuseppe Cumbo, Pietro Messina et al.
Journal of Clinical Medicine
Temporomandibular Joint Disorders
article

Assessment of Awake and Sleep Bruxism in Fibromyalgia Patients with Temporomandibular Disorders

Giuseppe Alessandro Scardina, Dorotea Fontana, Enzo Maria Giuseppe Cumbo, Pietro Messina, Emanuele Di Vita, Salvatore Nigliaccio, Antonio Scardina, Francesca Pusateri, Elisabetta Raia
article en

Abstract

<b>Background/Objectives:</b> Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic pain syndrome often associated with musculoskeletal tenderness, fatigue, and sleep disturbances. Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) and bruxism are frequently observed comorbidities in patients with FM, yet their objective assessment remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate masticatory muscle activity in patients with fibromyalgia and temporomandibular disorders using both static surface electromyography (sEMG) and a 24 h portable EMG device (Dia-BRUXO<sup>®</sup>). <b>Methods:</b> Thirty female patients (mean age 53.6 ± 10.5 years) underwent comprehensive clinical and gnathological evaluations, followed by static EMG recordings of the masseter and temporalis muscles and continuous monitoring of the left masseter over a 24 h period. <b>Results:</b> Results revealed a significantly higher number of bruxism episodes during wakefulness (80.9 ± 130.8) compared to sleep (24.0 ± 26.8; <i>p</i> < 0.0001). The Masseter Time Index (MTI) and Masseter Work Index (MWI) were also significantly higher during wakefulness (<i>p</i> < 0.001), indicating a predominance of daytime masticatory muscle activity. Static sEMG analysis showed generally preserved bilateral muscle symmetry, accompanied by mild imbalances in occlusal load distribution and increased global muscle activation. <b>Conclusions:</b> These findings suggest that patients with fibromyalgia and temporomandibular disorders exhibit increased baseline masticatory muscle activity, particularly during wakefulness, possibly reflecting sustained neuromuscular tension. Continuous EMG monitoring appears to provide an objective tool for characterizing bruxism patterns and complements clinical assessment and self-reported data. However, the absence of a control group and the exclusive inclusion of female patients limit the generalizability of the results. Further studies including appropriate comparison groups are needed to clarify the specificity and clinical implications of these findings.

Journal of Clinical MedicineVol. 15(2)
University of Palermo (IT)
Gender equality
Openalex Percentile: Top 97%
Temporomandibular Joint Disorders
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