What is Orofacial Pain?
Patients often present themselves to the dentist with pain in their mouth, jaw, face, head, or neck. When the cause is an untreated cavity or an abscess, it isn’t difficult for the dentist to formulate an effective plan of treatment. However, there are many times when there is no obvious cause for the pain, and proper diagnosis may require knowledge or training outside of what is typical for most General Dentists. For this reason, a new dental specialty was established: Orofacial Pain Specialists.
What is an Orofacial Pain Specialist?
Orofacial Pain is a dental specialty focused on the diagnosis and treatment of disorders that result in pain in the mouth, jaw, face, head, and neck. It is a relatively new dental specialty, having been granted recognition by National Commission on Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards on March 31, 2021.
Orofacial Pain Specialists have an expanded field of study beyond general dentistry, delving deeper into areas such as temporomandibular joint and sleep disorders, as well as a deeper knowledge of pharmacology, enabling the use of medications that would not ordinarily be able to be prescribed by a dentist.
What do Orofacial Pain Specialists Treat?
Chronic orofacial pain can reduce one’s quality of life, and it can be very difficult to manage. As there are many potential sources of this pain, it can be difficult to track down, and it’s believed that 22% of the population suffers from at least one type of orofacial pain.
Specialists in orofacial pain focus on seven different types of pain:
1 – Musculoskeletal disorders
The most typical of these would be Temporomandibular Joint Disorders (TMJ/TMD)
2 – Neurovascular pain
These include headaches, such as migraines, Sinus Headaches, and Trigeminal Autonomic Cephalgias (TACs)
3 – Neuropathic pain
Including Persistent Dentoalveolar pain, Trigeminal and Glossopharyngeal Neuralgia, and Post-traumatic Trigeminal Neuralgia
4 – Neuromuscular pain
Pain in the muscles of the jaw, head, or neck
5 – Sleep disorders
Disorders such as Obstructive Sleep Apnea
6 – Psychological
Psychological factors which can contribute to chronic pain
7 – Dentalgia
Pain due to problems with teeth or gums
Orofacial Pain Specialists are uniquely positioned to diagnose and treat pain disorders which make cause trouble for a doctor or general dentist, so it’s recommended that patients who have been living with unresolved pain of the head and neck to seek out a consultation with one.
