Approach to patients with body dysmorphic disorder in dentistry

Background

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), characterized by an obsessive focus on perceived flaws in appearance and affects approximately 0.7% through 2.4% of the general population, with dental-related concerns accounting for 20% of cases. Dentists in clinical practice could play a role in identifying and managing the care of patients with this condition. The authors aimed to evaluate the prevalence of BDD in dental patients and describe the characteristics of affected patients and available diagnostic tools.

Types of Studies Reviewed

The authors followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses checklist and conducted searches in PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus on July 4, 2024. Inclusion criteria included studies on adult patients with BDD and relevant to dental medicine. Exclusion criteria included studies in which this disorder was not the primary focus and studies involving children.

Results

Of 401 articles retrieved, 8 met the inclusion criteria. Among these, in 4 studies researchers indicated that patients with BDD in dental settings are predominantly single and in 3 studies a higher prevalence in female patients was reported.

Conclusions and Practical Implications

Accurate identification of BDD in patients seeking esthetic procedures is essential due to ethical and safety concerns for both oral health care professionals and patients, such as prevention of overtreatment and dissatisfaction with treatment outcomes. The results of this systematic review equip oral health care providers with insights into patient characteristics and screening tools to facilitate identification, informed decision making, and mitigation of potential medicolegal risks.