Orofacial Pain

Facial pain is one of the hardest diagnostic problems in clinical medicine. Some of it is dental in origin: cracked teeth, occlusal interference, pulpal pathology. Much of it is not. Neuropathic pain, neurovascular pain, cervical musculoskeletal pain, and systemic conditions that manifest in the head and face all look similar to a patient describing where it hurts. What that means for a patient in pain: you get a thorough diagnostic workup. A detailed history, a review of prior imaging and lab work, sleep habit assessment, behavioral and occupational factors, and a systematic clinical examination, before any treatment is proposed. We do not presume the answer is a night guard. We figure out what is actually happening first. Orofacial pain encompasses TMJ disorders, masticatory muscle pain, cervicofacial musculoskeletal pain, neuropathic pain, headache disorders, sleep-related conditions, and intraoral and systemic conditions that produce pain in the face and mouth. These problems overlap, and the best outcomes come from a clinician who understands the full differential and knows when to treat, when to refer, and when to co-manage with a physician or neurologist. We also serve as consultants to other dentists and physicians in the region when a complex orofacial pain case requires specialty evaluation.