Trigeminal neuralgia and associated unwarranted dental treatment

Abstract

Pain is a universal phenomenon of complex human psychophysiological experience which has evolved from a onedimensional sensation to a multi-dimensional one. 1 The most challenging and rewarding aspects of dental practice is the identification and management of the patient's pain. 2 Unfortunately, most diagnostic procedures are often restricted to identifying a suspected tooth rather than considering possible non-odontogenic sources of pain. 3 Persistent and chronic pain are more prevalent in the cervico-facial region than others. Oro-facial pain encompasses an amalgamation of manifestations within and outside the oral cavity. 4 Pain of neural origin is produced by changes in neurological function or structure, unlike the pain receptors excitation that occurs in nociceptive pain. 5 They occur along a nerve distribution that occasionally confers tooth pain, which frequently becomes a diagnostic difficulty for the general dental practitioner.Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a neuropathy of the trigeminal nerve having episodes of unilateral extreme, stabbing, electric shock-like twinge in the facial region innervated by