2026 Volume 18 Issue 3 Pages 313-318
Patient: A 58 year-old male patient presented with occlusal discomfort and pain along the lingual margin that appeared during the replacement of a crown following root canal treatment of his lower left second molar. Based on the medical interview, examination, and tests, he was diagnosed with type III occlusal discomfort syndrome (ODS). A case formulation (CF) was performed and functional analysis conducted. After two months of managing his symptoms, a trusting relationship was established between the patient and the dentists (or the healthcare providers). Subsequently, patient satisfaction was achieved, and subjective symptoms improved significantly. In this study, we created a simplified CF questionnaire by drawing up a list of questions designed for natural dialogue and short-term application, organized based on the patient’s own responses. This questionnaire was designed as a step to easily gather information on the three key CF factors: ① antecedent stimulus, ② response, and ③ outcome. It is structured to enable functional analysis (maintenance factors) to be derived from these elements. Finally, based on this patient’s CF, a simplified CF form was used to simulate this patient, evaluating its practicality and effectiveness in clinical settings.
Discussion: This simplified CF questionnaire clarifies the patient’s interpretive model, assists psychological assessment, and suggests the potential for functional analysis of contributing dental factors and influencing factors. Furthermore, use of the questionnaire is expected not only to enable more detailed psychological assessments of patients but also to contribute to building relationships with patients through communication with practitioners during interviews.
Conclusion: The CF creation method using a simplified CF questionnaire suggests that for general practitioners with limited time and skills, the questionnaire can clarify the psychological problems of ODS patients and may be useful for treatment and management.
