Aspects of Orofacial Pain

Orofacial pain, like pain elsewhere in the body, is usually the result of tissue damage and the activation of nociceptors, which transmit a noxious stimulus to the brain. However, due to the rich innervation of the head, face and oral structures, orofacial pain entities are often very complex and can be difficult to diagnose. Orofacial pain can be divided into odontogenic pain (diseased tooth is causing the discomfort) and nonodontogenic pain. Nonodontogenic pain is the tenderness that does not come from the tooth or its surrounding tissues. Ninety per cent of orofacial pain arises from the teeth and oral structures. The prevalence of orofacial pain was for pain on opening the mouth (21%-49%), muscle tenderness (17%-97%) and self-reported joint pain (5%-31%). After ruling out dental problems, musculoskeletal and neuropathic pain conditions are the most common causes of facial pain. Due to the diversity of manifestations and different mechanisms of pain transmission, the differential diagnosis is crucial for the establishment of a successful management strategy.