Orofacial pain: A critical appraisal in management

• Main Authors: Shatavisa Mukherjee, Sukanta Sen, Satwika Sinha
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2015-01-01
• Series: Indian Journal of Pain
• Subjects: Chronic pain; neuropathic pain; orofacial pain; pain management
• Online Access: http://www.indianjpain.org/article.asp?issn=0970-5333;year=2015;volume=29;issue=3;spage=127;epage=134;aulast=Mukherjee

Orofacial pain (OFP), a highly debilitating and prevalent pain condition, is a major concern of national public health. OFP can arise from different regions and etiologies. This intractable pain condition, arising from oral structures innervated by trigeminal nerves, represent a challenge to the clinician as the pain has multiple sources of origin and range of etiologies, thus making the diagnosis very challenging. Odontalgia, temporomandibular disorders (TMD), trigeminal neuropathy and migraines are some common disorders for which patients seek treatment. Owing to its diverse classification and etiologies, proper identification of the condition and subsequent treatment approaches has become a necessity. A multidisciplinary treatment approach comprising patient education, pharmacological, non-pharmacological means and psychosocial interventions can be considered essential for this enfeebling condition.