Occlusal Dysesthesia or Phantom Bite Syndrome

Occlusal Dysesthesia, also known as Phantom Bite Syndrome and Occlusal Hyperawareness, is not that uncommon.  Almost every dentist can think of a patient or two that they know of that has this. Until learning of this diagnosis these were just the “crazy” patients that dentists struggle to try to appease, without success.  We have many patients that experience this at some point during their life in different areas of their mouth. The worst ones exhibit all of the signs and symptoms of this condition.  Many will only see the same dentist for only a short time before leaving to go on to the next dentist to “fix” their bite. Others will stay with the dentist but go to multiple other doctors and specialists looking for a bite adjustment.  The only patients that we have seen that were truly successful at eliminating the feeling of being aware of a bite discrepancy as those that began medication for another anxiety type diagnosis. We rarely will refer to UIC pain clinic for patients that are insisting on treatment.

Great article with treatment recommendations can be found here.
Another article by a close Orthodontic friend
JADA article Salazar 2012 Sept      Three letters back (typical CR and NM BS) and his response (which is excellent) Feb 2013 JADA
Thread on dentaltown with several top Orofacial Pain experts.