Abstract
IntroductionVarious presentations of essential palatal myoclonus, a condition characterized by clicking noises and palatal muscle spasm, have been reported in the literature. We are reporting the first case of essential palatal myoclonus following dental treatment.Case presentationA 31-year-old Caucasian man presented to our Ear, Nose and Throat department complaining of objective clicking tinnitus occurring immediately after he had undergone root canal treatment on his right lower third molar 3 months ago. Magnetic resonance imaging of his head revealed no abnormalities in the cerebrum, cerebellum or brainstem making the diagnosis essential palatal myoclonus. He returned a week later, and 20 units of botulinum toxin A (Allergan) were injected into his left tensor veli palatine muscle. He reported an immediate improvement; however, symptoms recurred 6 months later.ConclusionsDental treatment can be a trigger of essential palatal myoclonus. Botulinum toxin injections are an effective treatment for short-term relief of symptoms.
Highlights
Various presentations of essential palatal myoclonus, a condition characterized by clicking noises and palatal muscle spasm, have been reported in the literature
Dental treatment can be a trigger of essential palatal myoclonus
Botulinum toxin injections are an effective treatment for short-term relief of symptoms
Summary
Dental treatment can be a trigger of EPM. Botulinum toxin injection is an effective treatment for short-term relief of symptoms. Consent Written informed consent was obtained from the patient for publication of this case report and any accompanying images. A copy of the written consent is available for review by the Editor-in-Chief of this journal. Competing interests The authors declare that they have no competing interests. Authors’ contributions AB was the consultant responsible for diagnosing and treating the patient in this case report. AB provided the information to JL and MF, who wrote the paper under AB’s supervision. All authors have read and approved the final version of this manuscript. Author details 1College of Medicine, University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK. Author details 1College of Medicine, University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK. 2Department of Otolaryngology, Lauriston Building, Lauriston Place, Edinburgh EH3 9HA, UK
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
