New electrode set accurately assesses sleep bruxism at home

Researchers from Finland have developed a new electroencephalography (EEG) electrode set capable of assessing sleep bruxism as accurately as more complex and costly methods such as traditional polysomnography, according to a recent study. The set is reliable and easy enough to be used by patients at home, the authors noted.

The group from the University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital sought to develop this technology as a way to improve upon clinicians' understanding of sleep bruxism. Currently, there is no existing method that is both accurate and cost-effective at gauging the severity of sleep bruxism, according to the authors.

In their study, the researchers found that their simple electrode set provided good quality at-home polysomnography recordings for 90% of the cases examined, with only 1 out of 101 recordings failing due to an issue related to the electrode set. They also found that the set was particularly well-suited for recordings involving high sleep bruxism activity over several nights (Sleep and Breathing, August 12, 2019).

"The electrode set could be considered especially applicable for solving different research questions related to sleep bruxism, such as unclear connections between sleep bruxism activity and its presumed consequences and comorbidities, as well as long-term efficacy of the management methods," study co-author Tomi Miettinen, a doctoral student at the university, said in a statement. "As a tool, the electrode set has potential to increase our understanding of sleep bruxism, possibly resulting in more efficient methods to manage, or even treat sleep bruxism."