Clinical characteristics of somatization in dental practice

This study supports the notion that unexplained physical symptoms in dental patients may be psychological in origin and may result from somatization.The results suggest that it is important that GDPs exercise caution when providing extensive dental treatment to patients with a record of multiple or recurrent complaints, high attendance and depressive tendencies.The findings suggest that when organic pathology is excluded and it is considered that patients' symptoms may be of psychological origin, it is important that the patient is referred to a specialist (eg psychologist, psychiatrist) for psychiatric assessment and appropriate treatment.