Clinical Update quiz
The Clinical Update online is a free member service providing up to 11 FREE CPD hours per year.
Each month, the Clinical Update is published online. There are 11 Clinical Updates per year (February - December). This service is available to ADAVB and ADATas members only. Members can log in to view and answer the Clinical Update questions. If you answer at least eight out of 10 questions correctly, you will receive one hour of scientific CPD.
Please note: Each new Clinical Update will be available below from the first business day of each month.
March 2026 Clinical Update
Phantom bite syndrome: Revelation from clinically focused review.
Tu TTH, Watanabe M, Nayanar GK, Umezaki Y, Motomura H, Sato Y, Toyofuku A. Phantom bite syndrome: Revelation from clinically focused review. World J Psychiatry. 2021 Nov 19;11(11):1053-1064.
Reviewed and edited by Professor Harcourt and Dr Condon. Compiled by Dr Sarah Chin.
This article was originally published by the World Journal of Psychiatry and has been edited for brevity and clarity. Compiled by Dr Nirav Bhatia.
Introduction
General dentists often see patients reporting uncomfortable bite sensations, commonly due to new crowns, restorations, orthodontic treatment, or TMJ disorders. Dentists typically perform occlusal adjustments if abnormalities are found. However, some patients experience persistent, unverifiable occlusal discrepancies and insist on bite correction.
This condition, known as “phantom bite syndrome” (PBS)—first described by Marbach in 1976—refers to ongoing perceived bite discomfort without any physical cause, similar to phantom limb pain. Posselt earlier referred to this as a “positive occlusal sense,” noting that certain individuals become overly aware of their bite after dental adjustments.
In 1997, Clark et al. proposed the term “occlusal dysesthesia” to describe bite discomfort lasting over six months with no identifiable physical basis, often leading to significant impairment. PBS patients rarely find relief from dental treatments, tend to seek multiple opinions (“dental shopping”), and usually reject psychiatric help, believing in an ideal bite correction. To date, there is no official classification or treatment standard for PBS. This article examines its demographics, manifestations, possible causes, and management strategies.
Members click here to continue reading and complete this month's Clinical Update questions online or download the current quiz below.
