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Updated: Jun 21, 2026
07:39
Assessment of Nerve Injury-Induced Mechanical Hypersensitivity in Rats Using an Orofacial Operant Pain Assay
Published on: July 26, 2022
Orofacial pain beyond trigeminal neuralgia
1Oral Surgery, King's College London, London, UK tara.renton@kcl.ac.uk.
Practical Neurology
|June 19, 2026
Summary
Orofacial pain, affecting over 160 conditions, often leads to misdiagnosis due to siloed training. This review highlights common conditions mimicking trigeminal neuralgia to improve patient diagnosis and care.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Dentistry
- Pain Management
Background:
- Orofacial pain encompasses over 160 conditions, significantly impacting patient function and psychosocial well-being.
- The trigeminal nerve's neurobiology is central to orofacial pain, yet high misdiagnosis rates suggest training silos.
- Dental pain, the most common type, is frequently misdiagnosed as headaches or trigeminal neuralgia.
Purpose of the Study:
- To deconstruct the siloed approach to orofacial pain diagnosis.
- To highlight common conditions that mimic trigeminal neuralgia (TN).
- To emphasize conditions that should be considered before diagnosing TN.
Main Methods:
- Literature review focusing on conditions presenting with paroxysmal, elicited, or spontaneous allodynia/neuralgia within the trigeminal system.
- Analysis of diagnostic challenges in orofacial pain.
- Comparison of common orofacial pain conditions with trigeminal neuralgia.
Main Results:
- Trigeminal neuralgia is the rarest form of orofacial pain.
- Temporomandibular joint disorders and post-traumatic neuropathic pain are more common but often overlooked.
- Dental abscess pain can mimic headaches and trigeminal neuralgia.
Conclusions:
- Addressing siloed training is crucial to reduce misdiagnosis and patient harm in orofacial pain.
- A broader differential diagnosis is needed before considering trigeminal neuralgia.
- Recognizing common mimics can lead to earlier and more accurate diagnoses.
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