Trigeminal neuralgia is
NOT a dental condition.
Do you know the difference?
Do you know the difference?
The Harvard Interdisciplinary Pain and Headache Rounds is designed to encourage academic exploration across a wide range of topics. Clinicians, scientists, students, and patients who seek knowledge through interactive seminars and forums are invited to attend.
The Rounds is a year-long series of complimentary lectures focused on pain and headaches. The lectures cover a wide range of topics relevant for healthcare providers, researchers, public policy specialists, and patients. The Rounds are presented by a collaborative effort between Mass General Brigham and Harvard School of Dental Medicine, with other programs offered in collaboration with multiple other academic institutions and the Facial Pain Association.
Dr. Nixdorf is the Director of the Division of TMD and Orofacial Pain at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Soni is a Neurologist at the Center for Neurologic Restoration, Headache and Facial Pain Section at Cleveland Clinic.
Important factors to consider in patients with orofacial pain are discussed. They highlight their professional perspectives in cases where diagnoses are difficult because of overlapping symptoms and when to refer patients to specialists for further care.
Dr. Chandwani talks about the basics of orofacial pain and why it is relevant to dentists. Learn how to recognize some of dentistry’s phantom pains, including atypical odontalgia by seeing real cases of how trigeminal neuralgia presents in the dentist’s chair. Attendees will also understand the differential diagnoses in orofacial pain – when to treat and when to refer out and different treatment options available to help patients with pain – topicals, pharmaceuticals, and complementary medicine.
Dr. Nixdorf covers the important similarities and differences between TN and dental pain and the symptoms to look out for so you and your team can quickly identify. He also reveals the top 3 ‘mimics’ of trigeminal neuralgia dental practices see on a regular basis and what to do after you suspect your patient has trigeminal neuralgia or neuropathic pain
This one-page fact sheet is a perfect way to start educating your dental team on trigeminal neuralgia. 54% of tn patients visit their dentist first, so it’s important that dental practices know dental pain from neuropathic facial pain.