Occlusal Dysesthesia: A Clinical Report on the Psychosomatic Management of a Japanese Patient Cohort.

PURPOSE: A cohort of Japanese patients diagnosed with occlusal dysesthesia (OD) was clinically analyzed for psychosomatic background, management, and treatment outcome.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study group comprised 61 patients (17 men and 44 women) who met the OD criteria. Treatment outcomes were categorized as improvement, interruption, and transfer to another department.

RESULTS: The diagnosed OD was resolved in 25 patients (41%), 20 patients (33%) discontinued treatment, 13 (21%) were referred or transferred to other specialties such as psychiatry, and 3 (5%) continued to receive treatment following an engagement period of 3 months, 2 years, and 5 years, respectively. Among the 20 patients who discontinued treatment, complaints persisted for 10 and they did not comply with treatment, 1 had immodithymia characterized by adherence to symptoms, 3 had depressive states, 2 were suspected to have schizophrenia, and 2 were suspected to have so-called phantom bite syndrome.

CONCLUSION: This study suggests that OD treatment should take into account the underlying psychiatric disorder manifesting as physical complaints.