A case-control study on the psychophysical and psychological characteristics of the phantom tooth phenomenon

The objective of this study was to determine whether patients with phantom tooth symptoms have an altered sensory perception as compared to pain-free subjects. Ten patients (mean age 56, range 32-71, nine females) were diagnosed as suffering from "phantom tooth" according to a specifically designed phantom tooth questionnaire including components of the McGill Pain Questionnaire. An SCL-90 form was completed and assessment of sensory perception was carried out by determination of the threshold level for light touch sensation, two-point discrimination, and thermal sensation in a case-control design. Results. Of all the observed questionnaires, 5.7% seemed to deal with phantom tooth, with a female preponderance (ratio 9:1). Complaints were predominantly reported in the upper jaw (ratio 8:2) with the majority in the molar region (ratio 5:3). Phantom tooth subjects showed significantly lower threshold levels for light touch sensation, most markedly on the affected side. The average psychoneurotic profile showed a tendency towards higher scores for the phantom tooth subjects. Conclusion. The phantom tooth phenomenon may show a number of features which might aid differential diagnosis. To verify influences such as upper molar predominance and increased light touch sensation, another study should be performed on a larger patient sample.