Investigation of Respiratory Functions, Respiratory Muscle Strength, Balance and Sleep Quality in Patients With Bruxism

Inclusion Criteria (bruxism group): * Aged 18-65 years. * Diagnosed with sleep or awake bruxism by a dentomaxillofacial radiologist. * Diagnosis was based on subjective reports and clinical assessment according to the Standardised Tool for the Assessment of Bruxism (STAB) framework. * Classified as probable bruxism, defined as the presence of: * Self-reported behaviors (e.g., grinding, clenching, bracing), and * Clinical signs (e.g., tooth wear, linea alba, masseter hypertrophy). Inclusion Criteria (healthy controls): * Aged 18-65 years. * Recruited through public campus advertisements. * Matched for age and sex with the bruxism group. * No history or symptoms of bruxism, confirmed by self-report and clinical examination. Exclusion Criteria (applied to all participants): * History of smoking. * Respiratory conditions affecting pulmonary function (e.g., obstructive sleep apnea, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma). * Difficulty understanding or following instructions. * Presence of any dental or temporomandibular disorder other than bruxism. * History of masseter botulinum toxin injection or facial/cervical trauma. * Current use of sedatives, muscle relaxants, or centrally acting medications. * Active orthodontic treatment. * History of COVID-19 infection within the last six months.