Idiopathic Headache as a Possible Risk Factor for Phantom Tooth Pain

Abstract

Following tooth pulp extirpation, some subjects suffer from persistent pain which affects edentate sites in absence of any local pathology. As regards this peculiar pain, called phantom tooth pain (PTP), what is puzzling is the fact there is a low prevalence of PTP in a very large population showing identical conditions of tooth pulp extirpation. The present investigation indicates that PTP mainly affects migraine (M) and cluster headache (CH) sufferers, whereas it does not affect subjects who have a negative personal and family history for idiopathic headache (IH). These results circumscribe the presence of PTP to a specific section of the population. The present results, besides indicating that PTP may be the result of a peculiar neuronal predisposition relating to IH pathogenesis, suggests some practical therapeutic hints. In fact, successful anti- M and anti-CH prophylactic treatment greatly improve PTP syndrome.

Atypical Odontalgia: A Review of the Literature

“…Accompanying symptoms that have been reported are headache (migraine or cluster headache), 12 , 77–79 hyperesthesia in the site of the pain, 76 allodynia, 20 , 25 exacerbation of pain evoked by temperature, palpation, and percussion 11 , 17 , 21 , 25 . No local signs of pathosis are usually present.…”

“…It is also important to recognize patients with migraine or cluster headache because AO has been reported to be associated with these types of headache. It is notable that pain increases during the headache episode in these individuals, and that the administration of some typical migraine (isometheptene, 12 methysergide, 12 , 78 flunarizine, 78,79 β‐blockers 78 ) or cluster headache (lithium 79 ) medications often gives relief from the pain 12 , 77–79 …”

Capsaicin 8% patch treatment for amputation stump and phantom limb pain: a clinical and functional MRI study

“…The pain referred to a missing limb4 or an organ5–12 is termed phantom pain. Chronic pain has a negative impact on quality of life, aggravating psychologic distress following the amputation13 and increasing the risk of developing anxiety and depression 14.…”

Temporomandibular disorders and other causes of facial pain

“…Atypical odontalgia (AO) has been linked with headache and described as possible secondary to a migrainous etiology [6,7]. Harris [8] first described AO as slightly more specific because it is localized to the tooth site.…”