Bruxism and Cranial-cervical Dystonia: Is There a Relationship?

ABSTRACT

To characterize the relationship between bruxism and dystonia, 79 patients (28 men and 51 women) with cranial-cervical dystonia were studied. Sixty-two patients (78.5%), 22 men and 40 women, had bruxism. The mean age at onset of dystonia in patients with bruxism was 52.4±12.6 years (range 14–80), similar to patients with cranial-cervical dystonia without bruxism. Involuntary oromandibular movements (46 patients) and blepharospasm (34 patients) were the most common initial symptoms among patients with dystonia. About one-fourth of bruxism patients had associated dental problems including TMD (21%) and tooth wear (5%). A majority (58%) of the bruxism patients had diurnal bruxism and 12% had nocturnal bruxism. The bruxism patients were compared to 100 patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), cervical dystonia, cranial dystonia, and normal controls, respectively. The prevalence of bruxism was much higher in the cranial-cervical dystonia patients when compared to normal controls (P<0.001); however, this difference was not significant between other diseased groups and controls. Medications and botulinum toxin injections, used in the treatment of focal dystonia also provided effective relief of bruxism.

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Notes on contributors

Maureen Wooten Watts

Dr. Maureen Wooten Watts obtained her M.D. degree from the University of Arizona College of Medicine in 1985. She completed her neurology residency at Baylor College of Medicine. Houston, Texas and is certified in the American Board of Neurology and Psychiatry. Her chief interests include general neurology, movement disorders and neurophysiology. Dr. Watts is a member of the American Academy of Neurology and is presently in private practice in Dallas, Texas.

Eng-King Tan

Dr. Eng-King Tan received his M.D. degree from the National University of Singapore in 1989. He completed his internal medicine residency and obtained his MRCP (UK) in 1995. In 1998, he completed his neurology residency in Singapore and then received a government scholarship to continue training in movement disorders under Dr. Joseph Jankovic at the Parkinson's Disease Center and Movement Disorders Clinic, Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Tan is a junior member of the American Academy of Neurology.

Joseph Jankovic

Dr. Joseph Jankovic received his M.D. degree from the University of Arizona in 1973, completed an internship at Baylor College of Medicine, and received his neurological training at the Neurological Institute, Columbia University, New York. He is the immediate past president of the International Movement Disorder Society and past president of the Houston Neurological Society. His chief interest is Parkinson's Disease and related movement disorders, including dystonia and dyskinesias. He has conducted numerous clinical trials and published over 500 original articles, chapters and other communications. Dr. Jankovic has also served on the editorial boards of various journals including “Neurology and Movement Disorders” and is a fellow of the American Academy of Neurology.