Body dysmorphic disorder, a mildly traversed parameter in orthodontics – An update

Abstract

While the concept of esthetics and body image are trending lately, there is increased demand for the correction of facial or dental defects. In such times, an orthodontist needs to carefully assess if the defect is for real or is been simply a perceived physical defect by an individual, wherein it then becomes a psychological condition to be dealt with. Patients with Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) focus on physical defects that are unnoticed by others. Hence, it becomes important for an orthodontist to be aware of this condition before starting with the treatment, as the patient would be dis-satisfied in spite of the treatment. This paper focuses on the etiology, identification, risk factors involved, implications for orthodontics and management of Body dysmorphic disorder. © 2020 Published by Innovative Publication. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/)