Sleep bruxism and sleep respiratory disorders in children and adolescents: A systematic review

ObjectiveSleep bruxism (SB) is a repetitive rhythmic and nonrhythmic activity. It can be a comorbid condition for other disorders, such as sleep breathing disorders (SBD). However, a clear causal link between these factors is yet to be established. Moreover, this relationship is even more unknown in children. Thus, this systematic review aimed to determine the relationship between SB and SBD in children and teenagers and consolidate the current knowledge about the possible association between both phenomena at the pediatric age.Materials and MethodsAdvanced searches were performed in five electronic databases with the last search updated on February 1, 2023. The methodological quality of the selected studies was analyzed using the quality assessment tool for experimental bruxism studies.ResultsTwenty-nine of 6378 articles were selected for detailed analyses. Most articles found a comorbid relationship between SB and SBD, though no study analyzed a temporary relationship. Due to the heterogeneity of the studies, a meta-analysis could not be performed.ConclusionDespite the limitations of this systematic review, it can be concluded that there is an association between SB and SBD in children. However, the level of evidence is low.

Automated summary

This systematic review aims to determine the relationship between sleep bruxism (SB) and sleep breathing disorders (SBD) in children and teenagers, and consolidate the current knowledge on the association between the two phenomena at a pediatric age. Despite the limitations, the review concludes that there is an association between SB and SBD in children, although the level of evidence is low.