A mouthguard wirelessly attached to a smart bracelet that gently vibrates may trigger people to stop grinding their teeth while they sleep, according to a story recently published in the Daily Mail.
Developed by the Switzerland-based company Aesyra in collaboration with University of Siena in Italy, the bracelet reduced nighttime bruxism episodes by approximately 80% during testing, according to the story published on March 11.
To evaluate the effectiveness of the mouthguard and vibrating bracelet, bruxism patients participated in a three-night prototype testing at the university.
The technology operates through four pressure sensors embedded within the resin-based mouthguard. The sensors promptly react to bruxism, sending a signal to the bracelet within two seconds. Simultaneously, the data are synced to an app to monitor bruxism episodes, according to the story.
During testing, those who wore a mouthguard not connected to the bracelet experienced an average of seven episodes of bruxism hourly, lasting about seven seconds each. When the bracelet was worn and connected with the mouthguard, the episodes of teeth grinding fell by nearly 80%, according to the story.
Further trials are slated to take place at the San Gerardo Hospital in Italy. About 30 patients to further evaluate the technology's effectiveness and potential for widespread use have been enrolled in one study, according to the story.
"Bruxism can lead to jaw disorders, headaches, and tooth damage in some individuals," Dr. Mick Armstrong, chairman of the British Dental Association's health and science committee, said in the story.
"It's crucial to alleviate stress, and dentists may recommend wearing a soft or hard mouthguard at night to prevent tooth damage," Armstrong said.
