Orofacial neurogenic pain and maxillofacial ischemic osteonecrosis. A review

Cavitary alveolar osteopathy was described as an oral disorder of infectious origin characterized by the presence of osteopathic alveolar cavity lesions of significant size though radiologically undetectable and secondary to dental extractions for chronic infectious processes of the alveolar bone of the jaws. Such cavitary alveolar osteopathy has been implicated as a common cause in the origin of idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia and atypical facial pain. The concept of cavitary alveolar osteopathy caused by ischemic necrosis of alveolar bone was introduced in 1992. Recent coagulation studies have reported ischemic alterations in alveolar bone marrow as a cause of cavitation; following tooth extraction, maxillary osteonecrosis could result from thrombosis with or without hyperfibrinolysis, which in turn would lead to obstruction of the vascular spaces -- thereby compromising regional blood flow.