Ultrasonographic Evaluation of the Effect of Occlusal Splint Treatment on Masseter Muscle Thickness in Children With Sleep Bruxism:A Clinical Pilot Study

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of occlusal splint by ultrasonographic measurements of masseter muscle thickness and pain perception in a group of pediatric bruxist patients. The study included patients aged 7 to 12 years, all in the mixed dentition period, with class I occlusion and diagnosed with probable bruxism. A 2 mm thick soft occlusal splint was prepared for each patient. Ultrasonic measurements were used to assess the thickness of the masseter muscle (MMT) at baseline, one, two and three months.Visual Analog Scale (VAS) was also used to record subjective pain measurements. Repeated-measures ANOVA and Friedman test were used in the statistical analysis