[Dysmorphophobia in dentistry]

Patients suffering from dysmorphophobia with symptoms involving the masticatory system, i. e. teeth, mouth and jaws, were subjected to comprehensive examinations in close cooperation with the psychiatric profession. In rare cases the problem underlying the urgent desire for treatment in difficult patients is a disease known as dysmorphophobia. The signs of this disease that become evident in the dental office and the specific personality features of the patients affected are described and demonstrated in three typical case reports. Our experience has shown that irreversible and isolated dental manipulations are to be avoided. An interdisciplinary treatment objective (besser: approach?) integrating dental treatment into a greater therapeutic context is proposed.