Laser acupuncture and physical therapy may notably improve bruxism symptoms (pain, limited mouth opening, muscle activity) in comparison to sleep hygiene for children.
In this study, 24 children from 6-12 years old with a history of bruxism were divided randomly into three groups: one underwent laser acupuncture, another received physical therapy, and the last served as a control group. Initially and two months post-treatment, the researchers recorded several factors: the pain score according to a visual analog scale, the maximum mouth opening score, and the score for maximum voluntary contraction.
The results showed substantial differences between the control group and both the laser acupuncture and physical therapy groups. The latter groups showcased marked improvements in the areas of pain, maximum mouth opening, and muscle activity. This suggests that both laser acupuncture and physical therapy are potentially effective treatments for diminishing the symptoms of sleep bruxism in children compared to traditional sleep hygiene practices.
