Orofacial Pain Syndromes Research Articles

Thermovision: a new diagnostic method for orofacial pain?

BackgroundInfrared thermography can be used to obtain more complete information about a patient’s condition. The method can be used in various medical applications for monitoring acute and chronic orofacial pain syndrome. With this diagnostic method, thermal differences in the examined region are usually compared to the same reference region on the opposite side of the body.MethodsInfrared quantitative thermography is a non-invasive method for contactless monitoring of dynamic thermal fields on a surface, or in this case, the human body. This method is based on detection of infrared radiation, which is naturally emitted from the surface of the body. In a pilot project with a patient having orofacial pain, changes before and after repetitive transcranial magnetic brain stimulation treatment were assessed.ResultsFirst-day measurements found significantly higher maximum, minimum, and average temperatures, before and after therapy, in the area where the patient subjectively reported pain. The fifth and final measurements, before and after therapy, found only a slight elevation of the maximum temperature of the assessed regions, relative to the same regions on the opposite side of the face.ConclusionDuring the measurements on the fifth day, a thermal difference greater than 0.4°C was only observed relative to the minimum temperatures associated with the regions of self-reported pain before and after therapy. For validation of the effects, this method will need to be tested using a randomized, double-blind study with a larger number of patients.

Nondental orofacial pain in dental practices – diagnosis, therapy and self‐assessment of German dentists and dental students

Patients with non-dental orofacial pain syndromes will often primarily consult general dentists and other dental specialists. Early and correct diagnosis and therapy is crucial to prevent chronification. We assessed the experience of dentists (general dentists and dental specialists; n=533) and knowledge level of dental students (n=130) on the diagnosis and treatment of non-dental orofacial pain. We used an anonymized survey containing 14 items with the four main themes (1) prescription patterns, (2) treatment strategies in non-dental orofacial pain, (3) interdisciplinary cooperation, and (4) self-assessment of knowledge as well as post-graduate education. Ninety-two percent of dental students stated that they feel either 'not at all' (56%) or only 'somewhat' (36%) prepared for the diagnosis or treatment of non-dental orofacial pain. Only 23% of the dentists reported 'good' or 'very good' confidence for the diagnosis of non-dental orofacial pain. NSAID were the analgesics of choice when the pain is unspecific (25%) or even neuralgic (10%). Dentists referred patients with non-dental orofacial pain mostly to ENT-physicians (59%), oral and maxillofacial surgeons (54%) or TMD specialists (51%). Interdisciplinary pain treatment seems to be well acknowledged, however, with a focus on referral within the community of dental specialists. Dental curricula and post-graduate trainings need to implement the diagnosis and treatment options of non-dental orofacial pain.

Complex regional pain syndrome in the orofacial region. Case report

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The complex regional pain syndrome is characterized by presenting autonomic, sensory and motor difficult to control changes of the chronic evolution. Its pathophysiology and treatment are not fully defined, and the search for an increasingly effective treatment is a subject of medical concern. The involvement of the orofacial region has an even rarer incidence, and the literature reports only 14 cases in five decades. The objective of this report was to warn physicians and researchers about the importance of a correct diagnosis and to show the possibility of controlling this dysfunction with conservative treatment. CASE REPORT: A 68-year-old female patient, who after a facial trauma and three subsequent surgical procedures, developed orofacial complex regional pain syndrome. Several therapeutic regimens were performed, and after the last one she became completely asymptomatic: oxcarbazepine (900mg/day), morphine-controlled liberation (120mg/day), fluoxetine (40mg/day) and clonazepam (2mg/day), electrotherapy and oral rehabilitation. CONCLUSION: The diagnosis criteria for complex regional pain syndrome recommended by the International Association for the Study of Pain, revised in 2007, should be followed. The treatment of this neuropathic syndrome includes anticonvulsants, tricyclics, opioids, electrotherapy and somatic and stellate ganglion block, the latter when the pain is maintained by the sympathetic nervous system. In this report of an orofacial complex regional pain syndrome II, pain control was shown without the need for sympathetic ganglion block, which can be a warning to the medical class to a correct diagnosis and an effective and less invasive treatment.

Oral surgery II: Part 5. Chronic orofacial pain.

Chronic orofacial pain syndromes represent a diagnostic challenge for any practitioner. Patients are frequently misdiagnosed or attribute their pain to a prior event such as a dental procedure, ENT problem or facial trauma. Psychiatric symptoms of depression and anxiety are prevalent in this population and compound the diagnostic conundrum. Treatment is less effective than in other pain syndromes and thus often requires a multidisciplinary approach to address the many facets of these conditions.

The use of acupuncture versus dry needling in the treatment of myofascial temporomandibular dysfunction

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Orofacial pain is the pain felt in the oral cavity and the face, with a multifactorial etiology, being a representative of the temporomandibular dysfunction. Among the various possibilities for treatment are acupuncture and the dry needling. The objective of this study was to compare the effectiveness of these two therapies in the cases of myogenic temporomandibular dysfunction. CONTENTS: A review of articles relating to the topic was conducted on the LILACS, Medline, Scielo and Pubmed database, cross-referencing the following descriptors: “acupuncture” OR “electroacupuncture” OR “dry needling” AND “orofacial pain syndrome” OR “orofacial pain” OR “temporomandibular dysfunction” OR “temporomandibular disorders”, myofascial temporomandibular dysfunction or trigger points in last the 16 years. Clinical trials, systematic reviews, metanalysis, case studies involving human beings were included. The selected languages were English and Portuguese. Twenty-one articles were found that were carefully evaluated and tabulated. The present study identified that both acupuncture and dry needling were significantly important in the resolution of the signs and symptoms of the myogenous temporomandibular dysfunction, with adequate effectiveness. CONCLUSION: It can be pointed out that dry needling seems to be more effective in the resolution of local pain on the myofascial trigger points than just using of acupuncture points at a distance. Acupuncture demonstrated positive influences in the general health quality and pain of patients with myofascial temporomandibular dysfunction. Therefore, the therapy of choice will depend on the professional’s assessment of the clinical conditions of the patient and the therapeutic goals to be achieved.

Burning Mouth Syndrome: A Brief Review

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS), a chronic and intractable orofacial pain syndrome is characterized by the presence of burning sensation of the oral mucosa in the absence of specific oral lesion. In addition to burning sensation, patient with BMS also complains of oral mucosal pain, altered taste sensation, and dry mouth. It is observed principally in middle-aged patients and postmenopausal women. Its pathophysiology has not been fully elucidated and involves peripheral and central neuropathic pathways. Various local, systemic and psychological factors are associated with BMS, but its etiology is not fully understood, Its largely multifactorial, and associated medical conditions may include gastrointestinal, urogenital, psychiatric, neurologic and metabolic disorders, Clinical diagnosis relies on careful history taking, physical examination and laboratory analysis. Treatment is often tedious and is aimed at correction of underlying medical conditions, supportive therapy, and behavioral feedback. An interdisciplinary and systematic approach is required for better patient management, Short term follow up data is promising, however, long term prognosis with treatment is lacking. The purpose of this article is to present a brief review of epidemiology, classification, pathophysiology, etiology, clinical features, differential diagnosis, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of burning mouth syndrome. Keyword: Burning mouth syndrome, review, diagnosis, treatment.

Chemokine CXCL13 mediates orofacial neuropathic pain via CXCR5/ERK pathway in the trigeminal ganglion of mice.

BackgroundTrigeminal nerve damage-induced neuropathic pain is a severely debilitating chronic orofacial pain syndrome. Spinal chemokine CXCL13 and its receptor CXCR5 were recently demonstrated to play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of spinal nerve ligation-induced neuropathic pain. Whether and how CXCL13/CXCR5 in the trigeminal ganglion (TG) mediates orofacial pain are unknown.MethodsThe partial infraorbital nerve ligation (pIONL) was used to induce trigeminal neuropathic pain in mice. The expression of ATF3, CXCL13, CXCR5, and phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (pERK) in the TG was detected by immunofluorescence staining and western blot. The effect of shRNA targeting on CXCL13 or CXCR5 on pain hypersensitivity was checked by behavioral testing.ResultspIONL induced persistent mechanical allodynia and increased the expression of ATF3, CXCL13, and CXCR5 in the TG. Inhibition of CXCL13 or CXCR5 by shRNA lentivirus attenuated pIONL-induced mechanical allodynia. Additionally, pIONL-induced neuropathic pain and the activation of ERK in the TG were reduced in Cxcr5−/− mice. Furthermore, MEK inhibitor (PD98059) attenuated mechanical allodynia and reduced TNF-α and IL-1β upregulation induced by pIONL. TNF-α inhibitor (Etanercept) and IL-1β inhibitor (Diacerein) attenuated pIONL-induced orofacial pain. Finally, intra-TG injection of CXCL13 induced mechanical allodynia, increased the activation of ERK and the production of TNF-α and IL-1β in the TG of WT mice, but not in Cxcr5−/− mice. Pretreatment with PD98059, Etanercept, or Diacerein partially blocked CXCL13-induced mechanical allodynia, and PD98059 also reduced CXCL13-induced TNF-α and IL-1β upregulation.ConclusionsCXCL13 and CXCR5 contribute to orofacial pain via ERK-mediated proinflammatory cytokines production. Targeting CXCL13/CXCR5/ERK/TNF-α and IL-1β pathway in the trigeminal ganglion may offer effective treatment for orofacial neuropathic pain.

New Insights in Trigeminal Anatomy: A Double Orofacial Tract for Nociceptive Input.

Orofacial pain in patients relies on the anatomical pathways that conduct nociceptive information, originating from the periphery towards the trigeminal sensory nucleus complex (TSNC) and finally, to the thalami and the somatosensorical cortical regions. The anatomy and function of the so-called trigeminothalamic tracts have been investigated before. In these animal-based studies from the previous century, the intracerebral pathways were mapped using different retro- and anterograde tracing methods. We review the literature on the trigeminothalamic tracts focusing on these animal tracer studies. Subsequently, we related the observations of these studies to clinical findings using fMRI trials. The intracerebral trigeminal pathways can be subdivided into three pathways: a ventral (contralateral) and dorsal (mainly ipsilateral) trigeminothalamic tract and the intranuclear pathway. Based on the reviewed evidence we hypothesize the co-existence of an ipsilateral nociceptive conduction tract to the cerebral cortex and we translate evidence from animal-based research to the human anatomy. Our hypothesis differs from the classical idea that orofacial pain arises only from nociceptive information via the contralateral, ventral trigeminothalamic pathway. Better understanding of the histology, anatomy and connectivity of the trigeminal fibers could contribute to the discovery of a more effective pain treatment in patients suffering from various orofacial pain syndromes.

Modern ideas of orofacial pain and burning tongue syndrome

Modern ideas of orofacial pain and burning tongue syndrome

Orofacial Pain: A Review

Orofacial pain is the field of dentistry devoted to the diagnosis and management of chronic, complex, facial pain and oromotor disorders. This specialty in dentistry has developed over a number of years out of the need for better understanding of a group of patients who somehow were not clearly suffering from dental pain disorders. Orofacial pain represents a significant burden in terms of morbidity and health service utilization. It includes very common disorders such as toothache and temporomandibular disorders, as well as rare orofacial pain syndromes. Many orofacial pain conditions have overlapping presentations, and diagnostic uncertainty is frequently encountered in clinical practice. Our profession has realized the importance of basic knowledge and differential diagnosis in order to manage these patients properly. This modification in the approach has caused several changes in education as well as in clinical activities. This paper aims to discuss the importance of basic knowledge to perform successful management.

Management Procedures Pain Used by Dental and Maxillofacial Surgeons: An Investigation With Special Regard To Odontalgia

ABSTRACT Background Little is known about the procedures used by indian dental and maxillofacial surgeons treating patients suffering from chronic orofacial pain (COP). This study aimed to evaluate the ambulatory management of COP. Methods Using a standardized questionnaire we collected data of dental and maxillofacial surgeons treating patients with COP. Therapists described variables as patients’ demographics, chronic pain disorders and their aetiologies, own diagnostic and treatment principles during a period of 3 months. Results Although only 14.5% of the 520 addressed therapists returned completely evaluable questionnaires, 985 patients with COP could be identified. An orofacial pain syndrome named atypical odontalgia (16.0 %) was frequent. Although those patients revealed signs of chronification, pain therapists were rarely involved (12.5%). For assessing pain the use of Analogue Scales (7%) orinterventional diagnostics (4.6%) was uncommon. Despite the fact that surgical procedures are cofactors of COP therapists preferred further surgery (41.9%) and neglected the prescription of analgesics (15.7%). However, most therapists self-evaluated the efficacy of their pain management as good (69.7 %). Conclusion Often ambulatory dental and maxillofacial surgeons do not follow guidelines for COP management despite a high prevalence of severe orofacial pain syndromes.

Burning mouth syndrome: A review on its diagnostic and therapeutic approach.

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS), a chronic and intractable orofacial pain syndrome is characterized by the presence of burning sensation of the oral mucosa in the absence of specific oral lesion. This condition affects chiefly of middle aged and elderly woman with hormonal changes or psychological disorders. In addition to burning sensation, patient with BMS also complains of oral mucosal pain, altered taste sensation, and dry mouth. This condition is probably of multifactorial origin, often idiopathic and its exact etiopathogenesis remains unclear. So far, there is no definitive cure for this condition and most of the treatment approaches, medications remains unsatisfactory. An interdisciplinary and systematic approach is required for better patient management. The purpose of this article is to present a review of epidemiology, clinical presentation, classification, etiopathogenesis, diagnosis and management of BMS.

Orofacial Pain: A Guide for the Headache Physician

Orofacial pain represents a significant burden in terms of morbidity and health service utilization. It includes very common disorders such as toothache and temporomandibular disorders, as well as rare orofacial pain syndromes. Many orofacial pain conditions have overlapping presentations, and diagnostic uncertainty is frequently encountered in clinical practice. This review provides a clinically orientated overview of common and uncommon orofacial pain presentations and diagnoses, with an emphasis on conditions that may be unfamiliar to the headache physician. A holistic approach to orofacial pain management is important, and the social, cultural, psychological and cognitive context of each patient needs to be considered in the process of diagnostic formulation, as well as in the development of a pain management plan according to the biopsychosocial model. Recognition of psychological comorbidities will assist in diagnosis and management planning.

Complex regional pain syndrome following trigeminal nerve injury: report of 2 cases

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a debilitating neuropathic pain condition that has been extensively reported in the extremities following variable degrees of nerve trauma. CRPS has rarely been reported in the orofacial region. We report 2 orofacial pain patients whose clinical phenotypes fit the criteria for CRPS. Two cases of orofacial complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) are described, both of which began following trigeminal nerve trauma. In case 1 the patient presented with redness of the ipsilateral ear during painful episodes, pain that extended into the ipsilateral arm and was associated with variations in the appearance of the ipsilateral hand. Symptoms also included "electric-burning pain" of the right side of the head, including the ear, teeth, jaw, eye, neck, and cheek. In case 2 the patient presented with intractable pain of the upper left face, head, and neck accompanied by color changes in the painful areas, which increased with exposure to cold.

Orale Medizin

Oral medicine is a dental specialty that bridges the traditional areas of health between dentistry and medicine. International descriptions reflect this and oral medicine is defined as "the dental speciality placed at the interface between medicine and dentistry and is concerned with the diagnosis and management of (non-dental) pathology affecting the oral and maxillofacial region." Oral medicine specialists provide clinical care to patients with a wide variety of orofacial conditions, including oral mucosal diseases, orofacial pain syndromes, salivary gland disorders, and oral manifestations of systemic diseases. There is a growing need to implement this specialty globally: due to the rapid progress in both medicine and dentistry, and to the growing percentage of senior citizens in many countries, the adequate diagnosis and treatment of oral diseases will become even more complex in the future. In this article, the authors' intention is to point out that oral medicine is neither a recognized specialty nor a distinct field of study in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland; thus, the need for postgraduate training in this field in countries where oral medicine is not a specialization is emphasized.

Quantification of jaw reflexes evoked by natural tooth contact in human subjects

Inhibitory jaw reflexes are believed to be important for protecting the teeth and temporo-mandibular structures from damage during sudden or forceful biting or mastication. Accordingly, alterations in these reflexes are sometimes implicated in aetiologies proposed for oro-facial pain syndromes, although the association is not well-established. We now aim to develop a method for quantifying objectively inhibitory jaw reflexes evoked by natural tooth contact. In the longer term, this may provide a new approach to examining the association of altered reflexes and clinical conditions.Eighteen subjects gave their written, informed consent, and were recruited to participate in this study. They were instructed to clench their teeth together in response to visual cues. They performed two such tasks twenty times: from the jaw postural position and from a more open position with the jaws set 10mm apart.Both tasks produced a rapid rise then stabilisation in electromyographic activity in the masseter muscle. This was always interrupted by a large inhibitory reflex starting 11.1±1.5ms (mean±SD) after tooth contact. The inhibitions produced during the second task were similar but of significantly longer duration (24.3±6.4 vs 18.4±6.5ms, P=0.0003, paired t-test) and greater magnitude (measured as an integral of the waveform: 1577±478 vs 1279±425%.ms, P=0.007, paired t-test). Interestingly, in a minority (13%) of the tasks, a second inhibition with a longer latency (50.9±0.9ms) was also observed.Thus reflex responses in the masseter muscle to natural tooth contact usually consist of single inhibitory periods. In this respect they are like those induced by externally applied tooth pushing although occasionally there is a second inhibition, reminiscent of that seen with externally applied tooth taps.

Thermal sensory and pain thresholds in the tongue and chin change with age, but are not altered in burning mouth syndrome

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a chronic orofacial pain syndrome that occurs in middle-aged and postmenopausal women and poses a therapeutic challenge to dermatologists and dentists. It has been suggested previously that BMS is a small-fiber neuropathy. This study was designed to examine thermal sensory and pain thresholds in the oral mucosa and chin, both innervated by the trigeminal nerve, in patients with BMS, as well as in healthy controls. In addition, the study proposed to examine whether there are any differences in oral thermal and pain sensations between the advanced age group, where BMS is prevalent and a younger group. Thermal and pain thresholds of BMS patients did not differ significantly from those of healthy subjects. An increased threshold to thermal warmth and a decreased threshold for cold sensation for the tongue and chin were noted in the group over 50 years in comparison with younger subjects, indicating a decreased sensitivity to thermal stimuli. The group over 50 years of age displayed an increased sensitivity to cold pain and a decreased sensitivity to hot pain in the tongue (compared with the chin). BMS patients do not demonstrate alterations in thermal and pain detection, thus failing to support a true small nerve neuropathy in this condition.

Feline orofacial pain syndrome (FOPS): a retrospective study of 113 cases.

Feline orofacial pain syndrome (FOPS) is a pain disorder of cats with behavioural signs of oral discomfort and tongue mutilation. This report describes the findings from a case series of 113 cats including 100 Burmese. FOPS is suspected to be a neuropathic pain disorder and the predominance within the Burmese cat breed suggests an inherited disorder, possibly involving central and/or ganglion processing of sensory trigeminal information. The disease is characterised by an episodic, typically unilateral, discomfort with pain-free intervals. The discomfort is triggered, in many cases, by mouth movements. The disease is often recurrent and with time may become unremitting – 12% of cases in this series were euthanased as a consequence of the condition. Sensitisation of trigeminal nerve endings as a consequence of oral disease or tooth eruption appears to be an important factor in the aetiology – 63% of cases had a history of oral lesions and at least 16% experienced their first sign of discomfort during eruption of permanent teeth. External factors can also influence the disease as FOPS events could be directly linked to a situation causing anxiety in 20% of cats. FOPS can be resistant to traditional analgesics and in some cases successful management required anti-convulsants with an analgesic effect.

Partial Infraorbital Nerve Ligation as a Model of Trigeminal Nerve Injury in the Mouse: Behavioral, Neural, and Glial Reactions

Trigeminal nerve damage often leads to chronic pain syndromes including trigeminal neuralgia, a severely debilitating chronic orofacial pain syndrome. Options for treatment of neuropathic pain are limited in effectiveness and new approaches based on a better understanding of the underlying pathologies are required. Partial ligation has been shown to effectively mimic many of the qualities of human neuropathic pain syndromes. We have devised a mouse model of trigeminal neuralgia using a partial infraorbital nerve ligation (pIONL) that induces persistent pain behaviors and morphological changes in the brainstem. We found that the pIONL effectively induced mechanical allodynia lasting for more than 3 weeks. Cell proliferation (bromodeoxyuridine), activation of astrocytes and microglia in the ipsilateral caudal medulla, and persistent satellite cell reaction in the ipsilateral ganglion were observed. Neurochemical markers calcitonin gene-related peptide, substance P were decreased in medullary dorsal horn ipsilateral to the injury side, whereas substance P receptor NK1 expression was increased after 8 days. Nerve injury marker ATF3 was markedly increased in ipsilateral trigeminal ganglion neurons at 8 days after pIONL. The data indicate that partial trigeminal injury in mice produces many persistent anatomical changes in neuropathic pain, as well as mechanical allodynia. This study describes the development of a new mouse model of trigeminal neuropathic pain. Our goal is to devise better treatments of trigeminal pain, and this will be facilitated by characterization of the underlying cellular and molecular neuropathological mechanisms in genetically designed mice.

Overlap Between Orofacial Pain and Vulvar Vestibulitis Syndrome

To explore the prevalence of orofacial pain (OFP) among patients with vulvar vestibulitis syndrome (VVS) and to examine the relationship between signs and symptoms of OFP and clinical characteristics of women with VVS, we investigated differences in psychologic characteristics and severity of painful intercourse. In this cross-sectional exploratory study, 137 women with VVS completed questionnaires that assessed levels of pain, anxiety, somatization, and presence of signs and symptoms suggestive of clinical and subclinical OFP. Demographic data were gathered from medical records. OFP was found to be a highly prevalent (78%) condition among women with VVS. Compared with women who had no OFP symptoms (n=30), those with symptoms (n=64) reported higher levels of anxiety (45.0 vs. 37.8, Bonferroni adjusted P=0.017), somatization (125.2 vs. 96.0, Bonferroni adjusted P<0.001), and psychologic distress (62.8 vs. 56.0, Bonferroni adjusted P=0.002). Although we observed a similar trend among women with subclinical OFP (n=43), this trend only reached statistical significance with respect to somatization. Differences were not detected for demographics, duration of pain, and severity of pain during intercourse across the 3 groups. OFP is a common condition among women with VVS. Because severity and duration of painful intercourse did not differ by OFP classification but psychologic characteristics did, we must begin to question a unidimensional focus on vestibular mucosa as a reason for pain and persistent distress.