[Diagnosing neuropathic orofacial pain in the general dental practice]

Dental pain is a common reason for patients to visit the dentist. This type of pain is usually easy to diagnose and treat. However, diagnosing and treating other forms of orofacial pain remains complicated. One of the most challenging types of orofacial pain to diagnose and treat is neuropathic orofacial pain: pain resulting from damage to nerve tissue. Recognizing this type of pain in a timely manner can prevent unnecessary invasive dental treatments and disappointment for patients who seek help for this type of pain. There are relatively simple tools for dentists to distinguish neuropathic pain from other types of orofacial pain. The treatment of neuropathic pain is primarily focused on symptom relief through medication.