DATA static test.

Bruxism, characterized by involuntary clenching or grinding teeth, is a prevalent condition primarily associated with oral health consequences such as dental wear, temporomandibular disorders (TMD), and masticatory muscle pain, while also being linked secondarily to tension-type headaches and sleep disturbances. Accurate measurement of bite force is valuable for assessing bruxism severity, understanding its biomechanical effects, and evaluating treatment outcomes. However, existing measurement methods often lack practicality for continuous or real-time monitoring. This study introduces a novel, noninvasive approach using flexible polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) capacitive sensors, leveraging PVDF’s piezoelectric properties to correlate bite force with the output frequency of a precision timer circuit. Experimental results demonstrated the sensor’s ability to measure bite forces in two bruxism scenarios. Static tests simulating clenching forces (0−80 kg) demonstrated sensor sensitivities of 0.0051–0.00533 × 103 Hz/kg, while dynamic tests simulating grinding motions (0−24 kg at 1 Hz) showed sensitivities of 0.0052–0.01019 × 103 Hz/kg. While the sensor demonstrated high sensitivity in static loading, its response to rapid force fluctuations was non-linear, suggesting a need for further optimization in dynamic applications. The sensors effectively tracked. real-time force variations while accounting for PVDF’s viscoelastic properties and minimizing thermal effects. The proposed sensor system offers flexibility and biocompatibility, making it ideal for real-time monitoring. This innovative system for measuring bite force in bruxism-simulated scenarios represents a step forward in objectively assessing this masticatory behavior. Future work will focus on integrating the sensor with digital health tools and exploring its use in detecting other valuable variables in the oral cavity.

磨牙症（Bruxism）是以不自主紧咬或磨牙为特征的常见病症，其主要会引发牙齿磨损、颞下颌关节紊乱病（TMD）以及咀嚼肌疼痛等口腔健康问题，同时还会继发紧张型头痛与睡眠障碍。准确测量咬合力对于评估磨牙症严重程度、解析其生物力学效应以及评估治疗效果均具有重要价值。然而现有测量方法往往难以满足连续或实时监测的实际应用需求。本研究提出一种基于柔性聚偏氟乙烯（PVDF）电容传感器的新型无创检测方法，利用PVDF的压电特性，将咬合力与精密计时电路的输出频率建立关联。实验结果表明，该传感器可在两种磨牙症模拟场景下实现咬合力测量：模拟紧咬压力的静态测试（0~80 kg）中，传感器灵敏度为0.0051~0.00533×10³ Hz/kg；模拟磨牙动作的动态测试（1 Hz频率下0~24 kg）中，灵敏度为0.0052~0.01019×10³ Hz/kg。尽管该传感器在静态载荷下表现出较高灵敏度，但对快速力波动的响应呈非线性，提示其在动态应用场景中仍需进一步优化。该传感器可有效追踪实时力变化，同时兼顾PVDF的粘弹性特性并最大限度降低热效应影响。所提出的传感器系统兼具柔性与生物相容性，非常适用于实时监测场景。这款用于磨牙症模拟场景下咬合力测量的创新系统，为客观评估该咀嚼行为迈出了重要一步。未来研究将致力于将该传感器与数字健康工具集成，并探索其用于检测口腔内其他具有检测价值的变量的潜力。