Benign chronic orofacial pain. Clinical criteria and therapeutic approaches

Trigeminal neuralgia and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain-dysfunction syndrome are the most common benign orofacial pain disorders. Because orofacial pain can arise from many sources and can be exacerbated by emotional stress, diagnosis is complex. Primary trigeminal neuralgia (tic douloureux) is characterized by severe paroxysms of pain often initiated by stimuli applied to trigger zones. Atypical facial neuralgia is a more loosely defined collection of orofacial neuralgias with variable distribution of pain and age of onset. Treatment (ie, pharmacologic and surgical procedures, nerve blocks, alcohol injection) is often based on the theoretical biases of clinicians. The most common clinical findings in TMJ pain-dysfunction syndrome are localized facial pain, mandibular dysfunction, and joint sounds. Therapy includes use of drugs to relieve pain and relax muscles, elimination of occlusal discrepancies, and surgical procedures. Psychologic referral is usually considered a last resort.