Psychological assessment of patients requesting orthognathic surgery and the relevance of body dysmorphic disorder.

The psychological assessment of patients requesting orthognathic treatment is a vital and integral part of the overall assessment procedure. It allows identification of potential problems at an early stage before irreversible decisions have been made. This paper aims to highlight some of the aspects of psychological assessment which are particularly important. It also discusses current concepts in the diagnosis and treatment of those patients suffering from body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). This is the term applied to those individuals with a normal appearance who present requesting treatment because they believe that they have a 'defect'.