[Dental complaints are found always between the ears. Somatization in the dental practice]

The aim of the present study was to investigate the occurrence of somatization-specific behaviour in the dental setting and its relationship with patients' report of both dental and psychological complaints. Somatization-specific behaviour was operationalized as an unexplained dental complaint, high dental attendance, a high treatment consumption or an unreasonable demand with regard to treatment. Of the 309 patients 8.7% fulfilled the criteria for somatization-specific behaviour, which was mainly expressed as a high frequency of attendance (6.8%). Women showed significantly more often (73%) somatization-specific behaviour than men (27%). Further, a relation between depression and somatization-specific behaviour was found. Particularly patients with a relatively high level of long-lasting dental complaints demonstrated somatization-specific behaviour.