Occlusal disharmony and chronic orofacial pain: from clinical observation to animal study

Thermography is a technique of measurement of skin temperature distribution on the body over a given period of time. It is a noncontact, noninvasive method that utilizes the heat from an object to detect, display, and record thermal patterns and temperature across the surface of the object. Over the years, various devices have been used to measure the amount of heat dissipated by the body and most recently thermography has been emerged to detect the oral and maxillofacial pathologies. It is used to detect malignancies of the maxillofacial region such as vitality of teeth, TMJ disorders, chronic orofacial pain, assessing inferior alveolar nerve decit, and detection of herpes labialis. The present article highlights the history, basic principles, types and applications of thermography and its benecial role in detecting the maxillofacial pathologies in dentistry.

Download Full-text

Cranial neuralgias and persistent idiopathic facial pain

Oxford Textbook of Headache Syndromes ◽

10.1093/med/9780198724322.003.0027 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 237-247

Author(s):

Aydin Gozalov ◽

Messoud Ashina ◽

Joanna M. Zakrzewska

Keyword(s):

Neuropathic Pain ◽

Trigeminal Neuralgia ◽

Facial Pain ◽

Orofacial Pain ◽

Treatment Modalities ◽

Management Approach ◽

Trigeminal Neuropathy ◽

Facial Region ◽

Persistent Idiopathic Facial Pain ◽

Chronic Orofacial Pain

Orofacial pain is a complex problem and affects up to 7% of the population. Although trigeminal neuralgia has been considered the prime neuralgic condition in the facial region, other forms of neuropathic pain are now being more frequently recognized and require recognition and a different management approach. Many patients with chronic orofacial pain report numerous comorbidities, such as psychiatric or personality disorders, which significantly affect management. Various pain conditions present in the facial region. Some of them rarely present extra-orally (unless as radiating pain) such as atypical odontalgia or persistent dento-alveolar pain disorder and burning mouth syndrome, whereas others will present in both areas such as classical trigeminal neuralgia, post-traumatic trigeminal neuropathy, trigeminal neuropathy attributed to multiple sclerosis, and persistent idiopathic facial pain. Myofascial pain syndrome related to the muscles of mastication is very common and may also be associated with temporomandibular joint problems. Trigeminal neuralgia and the rarer glossopharyngeal neuralgia are similar in quality and characteristics with specific treatment modalities, but differ in pain location. Trigeminal neuropathic pain is caused most frequently by trauma. If no other diagnostic criteria are fulfilled, a diagnosis of persistent idiopathic facial pain is made. It is crucial for these patients to be managed by multidisciplinary teams.

Download Full-text