A clinical study on the reaction of schizophrenic patients to damage and treatment of maxillary anterior teeth
2001 Volume 16 Issue 2 Pages 149-152
Details
2001 Volume 16 Issue 2 Pages 149-152
The reactions of patients with schizophrenia to damage on a maxillary anterior tooth and subsequent treatment were studied clinically. The subjects were ten psychiatric inpatients (one male, nine females) of our institution. The average age was 34.9 years old.
The results were as follows:
1. All subjects exhibited some disturbance caused by damage to the maxillary anterior teeth. Six patients complained of esthetic, two of masticary and two of speech disturbance. One suffered from a sensation of tightness on the tooth.
2. Five patients distinctly demanded treatment of the tooth. The other five patients did not. The five who demanded treatment were all female, four of them younger than 30 years old.
3. The five patients who distinctly demanded treatment of the tooth also reacted positively toward the results of treatment. The five patients who had not requested treatment reacted negatively, despite the author's recommendation of treatment and the patients' informed consent.
4. The image of dental health in the minds of patients with schizophrenia appeared to differ from that found in the general population.
