OROFACIAL PAIN - DIAGNOSTIC AND THERAPEUTIC CHALLENGES

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Neurology
• Pain Management

Background:

• Orofacial pain, excluding odontogenic and malignant causes, is a complex clinical problem.
• The diagnostics and therapy of stomatognathic system diseases have evolved over decades.
• Multidisciplinary approaches are crucial for understanding and treating orofacial pain.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the results of clinical diagnosis in patients with orofacial pain using a multidisciplinary approach.
• To analyze the prevalence of anxiety and its correlation with pain intensity.
• To assess the effectiveness of different therapeutic strategies for temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders and trigeminal neuralgia.

Main Methods:

• Clinical diagnosis of 557 consecutive patients with orofacial pain.
• Multidisciplinary diagnostic evaluation.
• Statistical analysis of patient demographics, anxiety levels (STAI 1 and STAI 2), pain intensity (Visual Analogue Scale), and treatment outcomes.

Main Results:

• 15.6% of patients dropped out; dropouts were significantly older.
• Elevated anxiety levels were found in 84.4% of participating patients, correlating significantly with pain intensity (p<0.0001).
• Michigan stabilization splints were common for TMJ disc displacement and osteoarthritis; anticonvulsants were primary for trigeminal neuralgia.

Conclusions:

• Multidisciplinary cooperation is vital for accurate diagnosis and treatment of orofacial pain.
• Anxiety is a significant factor in orofacial pain intensity.
• Specific therapies, including splints, physiotherapy, anticonvulsants, and acupuncture, show utility for different orofacial pain conditions.