title: A case-control study on the psychophysical and psychological characteristics of the phantom tooth phenomenon.
abstract: 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.
authors: Oral Physiology Cluster, Faculty of Medicine, Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium. Reinhilde.Jacobs@med.kuleuven.ac.be
authors: Reinhilde
authors: R
authors: Jacobs
authors: Chen-Han
authors: CH
authors: Wu
authors: Kitty
authors: K
authors: Goossens
authors: Antoon
authors: A
authors: De Laat
authors: Karen
authors: K
authors: Van Loven
authors: Yasmine
authors: Y
authors: Antonis
authors: Paul
authors: P
authors: Lambrechts
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: van Steenberghe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008437:Maxilla; D008875:Middle Aged; D008963:Molar; D009497:Neurotic Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011312:Pressure; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000502:physiology; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D014098:Toothache / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D014110:Touch / Q000502:physiology