All Oral and Maxillofacial Pain Articles

Occipital Neuralgia: The Importance of Taking a Patient’s Full History

Presented herein is a case that, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, is the first reported patient with occipital neuralgia due to compression of the occipital nerve by an umpire mask.

TMJ Arthralgia: Methylprednisolone Injection May Be No Better than Saline for Relief

Reviewed by Leonard Goldstein, DDS, PhD

Trigeminal Neuralgia: Current Diagnosis and Treatment Options

How to assess for trigeminal neuralgia, a debilitating and painful orofacial chronic condition, which often mimics other disorders.

Topical Medications for Common Orofacial Pain Conditions

Topical applications for trigeminal neuralgia, painful post-traumatic trigeminal neuropathy, burning mouth syndrome, myofascial pain, and TMJ arthralgia. Plus, cannabinoid spray and traumeel in orofacial treatment.

Acupuncture: New Approach for Temporomandibular Disorders

Approximately 10 million Americans suffer from TMD. Acupuncture may useful treatment options for this painful disorder.

New Evidence-Based Diagnosis Criteria for TMD

The new criteria for the diagnosis of temporomandibular joint disorders (TMDs) comprise an improved screening tool to help researchers and health professionals more readily differentiate the most common forms of TMD and reach accurate diagnoses that are grounded in supportive scientific evidence, according to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), a part of the Nati

Early Treatment of TMD May Prevent Chronic Pain and Disability

Since we originally wrote about this topic in 2011,1 there have been some advancements in the literature on temporomandibular joint and muscle disorders, or temporomandibular disorders (TMDs).

Tooth Loss in the Chronic Pain Population

Read this article on tooth pain and loss in the chronic pain population: Recently, an increasing number of chronic pain patients and their treating practitioners are recognizing the loss of teeth as a source of aggravation, suffering, and even increased pain.

Temporomandibular Disorder: Examining the Cause And Treatments

It has been estimated that 25% of the general population has TMD—a group of pathologies that affect the masticatory muscles (myogenous) and/or the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) (arthrogenous). Disability related to this disorder also has been found to have a major influence on socioeconomic factors and is associated with decreased employment.

Early Treatment of TMD May Prevent Chronic Pain and Disability

An estimated 75% of Americans will experience symptoms of temporomandibular joint and muscle disorder (TMJMD) in their lifetime. Article discusses how early treatment is essential for dealing with this potentially chronic pain disorder.

Superior Pharyngeal Constrictor Muscle Pain

Article discusses superior pharyngeal constrictor muscle pain. This retrospective observational study of patients with unresolved wrist pain noted improvements in many quality of life parameters after Hackett-Hemwall dextrose prolotherapy.

Hyoid Bone Syndrome

The hyoid bone has been identified with a specific, although not well recognized, pain syndrome for over 40 years.2 The painful symptoms are generally caused by trauma at the greater cornu of the hyoid bone with the pain radiating to other sites.3

Temporal Tendinitis Migraine Mimic

This article discusses the diagnosis and treatment of temporal tendonitis—a very common disorder that is often mistaken for a migraine.

Lessons Learned from a Headache TMD Study

A retrospective study of two groups of patients yields some insight into the relationship of TMD and headaches.

Splenius Capitis Muscle Syndrome

Splenius capitis muscle syndrome—a commonly occurring headache, neck ache, and facial pain disorder—typically mimics the respective pain patterns of temporal tendonitis and migraine headaches.

Ernest Syndrome and Insertion of the SML at the Mandible

Characterized as a painful complex of symptoms related to the insertion of the stylomandibular ligament (SML) at the mandible, onset of Ernest syndrome. Learn more about this chronic pain disorder.

TMD/Facial Pain and Forward Head Posture

Forward head posture in TMD/facial pain patients—with its attendant craniocervical, neurophysiologic, and arthrokinematic interactions—may be either a causative or aggravating factor in TMD that must be treated. Read about TMD/facial pain and forward head posture.

Temporomandibular Joint Referred Pain

This article discusses a retrospective study, which examined charts of 445 TMD patients to identify and categorize sites of referred pain.

Atypical Facial Neuralgias

Neuralgias are syndromes characterized by intermittent attacks of sharp and paroxysmal pain along the course of a nerve. The neuralgias involving the face are often misdiagnosed and seen initially by the dentist or otolaryngologist. Learn to recognize the signs and symptoms of facial neuralgias.

Atypical Earache Otomandibular Symptoms

With a basic understanding of ear pain-related pathologies and referral patterns, a physician can provide a quick screening examination for atypical earache.

Temporomandibular Joint Disorder Mimic Ernest Syndrome Diagnosis and Treatment

Article explains how temporomandibular joint disorders can sometimes mimic Ernest Syndrome. Often accompanied by other orofacial disorders and capable of mimicking other pain conditions, Ernest Syndrome is often missed or misdiagnosed.

TMJ Repositioning

Article discusses how using a hydrostatic oral appliance can help treat head, face, and neck pain in chronic pain patients.

TMJ Condylar Pain From Parapharyngeal Space Tumor

This article discusses TMJ condylar pain from a parapharyngeal space tumor. Located in a complex, rather inaccessible region of the head and neck and lateral to the upper pharynx, a potentially life-threatening tumor in the parapharyngeal space may be overlooked.

Kinetic Chain from the Toes Influences the Craniofacial Region

This article examines the relationship between plantar toe flexion and mouth opening and the resulting subjective pain relief of pain to the head, neck and mandibular regions.

Craniofacial Pain of Cardiac Origin

Cardiac-induced referred pain to the craniofacial region may drive a referral to a dentist and potentially miss the diagnosis of a life-threatening cardiac condition.

Dental Consequences of Pain Management

Pain and its associated issues can contribute to oral bacterial growth and inflammatory processes which, in turn, affects systemic health conditions.

Hand Tremor with Dental Medicine Implications

While many hand tremor cases may be linked to genetic predisposition or other origin, some hand and body tremors may be trigeminal nerve-related.

Middle Ear, Eustachian Tube, and Otomandibular/Craniofacial Pain

This case report found that a unique monomodal treatment protocol (utilizing a passive intra-oral appliance) both verified the diagnosis and provided immediate relief to sympathetically mediated pain suffered by the patient over the previous 10 years.

Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma of the Parotid Gland

Craniofacial pain symptoms are often complex in nature and can represent a variety of unrelated conditions.

Temporomandibular Dysfunction and Migraine

TMD often coexists with daily or near-daily headache syndromes but is overlooked by many physicians in the history and physical examination.

Injection Needle Injury of Oral Sensory Nerves

Superior Pharyngeal Constrictor Muscle Dysfunction

Article discusses superior pharyngeal constrictor muscle dysfunction. Sprain or tendinitis of this large quadrilateral constrictor muscle may present as soreness, tightness, or pain at the pterygoid plate.

Orbital-Inner Canthus Headache due to Medial Temporal Tendonitis

Pain presenting as an intense headache apparently radiating from the inner canthus of the eye or orbit, but actually referred from medial temporal tendonitis, underlines the complexity of facial structures.

TMJ Pain and Temporal Tendonitis with Autonomic Features

Article includes a case review of a patient who presented with symptoms of trigeminal autonomic cephalalgia as well as TMJ and temporal tendon-related pain symptoms.

Hamular Process Bursitis

Often misdiagnosed as otitis media or Eagle's syndrome, this relatively unknown disorder presents as soft palate pain, throat pain, ipsilateral maxillary pain, ear pain and difficulty and pain with swallowing.

Sphenomandibularis Muscle and Retro-Orbital Headache

Patients experiencing retro-orbital headaches that are not adequately managed by drugs may be an indication of sphenomandibularis referred pain.

Cervical-Medullary Meningioma

Cervical-Medullary Meningioma, associated with acute and persisting pain of the head and neck, is a diagnostic challenge for doctors and patients.

Patulous Eustachian Tube: Part 1

This article describes a relatively little known otologic condition called Patulous Eustachian Tube. The symptoms often go unrecognized since the complaints may, and often do, mimic other ear conditions. This article discusses the assessment, differential diagnosis, and types of treatment currently being utilized for this often challenging condition.

Patulous Eustachian Tube: Part 2

Patulous eustachian tube is a rare ear condition that's difficult to diagnose. Read case reports in this article on patients with patulous eustachian tube.

Burning Mouth Syndrome

The large array of potential pathologies for burning mouth syndrome condition requires investigative skill, tenacity, patience, and empathy to differentially diagnose and treat.

Dextrose Prolotherapy and Pain of Chronic TMJ Dysfunction

Many of the subjective symptoms of pain, stiffness, and crunching sensation in patients with TMJ dysfunction were reduced greater than 50% in 92% of the prolotherapy patients in this study. Learn more about prolotherapy for TMJ patients.

TMJ Derangement and SUNCT Syndrome Co-morbidity

Article includes a case report of signs and symptoms of internal derangement of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) co-morbid with short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache attacks from conjunctival injection and tearing (SUNCT) syndrome.

Head and Neck: Temporal Arteritis and Temporal Tendonitis Co-morbidity

Head and Neck Pain

TMJ Quick Screening Exam

Head and Neck Pain

Neuralgic Pain of the Temporomandibular Joint