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WHAT IS
A TOOTHACHE OF NONDENTAL ORIGIN?
Toothaches of nondental origin:
Logically, we think that a toothache means there is
something wrong with a tooth.
However, toothaches may come from other disorders
that refer pain to teeth. When these disorders refer pain to the
teeth, there is nothing wrong with the teeth, although the pain
may feel just like a toothache.
The following disorders refer pain to teeth:
Musculoskeletal Pain:
Neurovascula Pain:
- Migraine
- Cluster
- Hemicrainia
Neuralgia:
A. Aparoxysmal Neuralgia, such as Trigemincal
Neuralgia
B. Continuous Neuralgia such as A-Typical
Odontalgia, Neuroma, and post-traumatic Neuralgia
TMJ:
It is the muscular form of TMJ that causes toothaches
of nondental orgin. The pain is referred to teeth from “knots”
in muscles called “myofascial trigger points”
Migraine:
Migraine, cluster, and hemicrania are forms of neurovacular
pain.
The most common of these disorders that cause tooth
pain is migraine. Typically, migraine is thought to be a headache,
but migraine can also cause toothaches. When a migraine headache
is present with a migraine toothache it can be easy to diagnose.
But when a toothache is the only symptom of migriaine it can be
very hard to diagnose.
Neuralgia:
Continuous Neuropathic Pain is described in this section
because it is the most common nondental problem that causes toothaches.
Atypical Odontalgia - Atypical Odontalgia tends to
occur in middle aged females, feels like a continuous dull ache,
continues over 4 months or years, and tends to migrate from one
tooth to another.
Neuroma and Posttraumatic Neuralgia - is a term that
represents injury to a small nerve in and around a tooth. initially
the neuroma is sensitive to touch and feels like a stabbing pain.
At first the pain is treatable with topical medication. If the nerve
does not heal it becomes a continuous ache with stabs that is controllable
with systemic medicines only.
Patients feel like atypical odontalgia, neuroma, and
posttraumatic neuralgia are toothaches. It is common that in an
effort to be helpful root canal, apicoectomy, and even extraction
is done to help the patient but dental procedures do not work and
the pain persists. When dental procedures that typically help typical
toothaches don’t work it is best to assume an atypical pain
and consult an orofacial pain dentist for definitive diagnosis and
treatment.
What
is a toothache of nondental origin? | Example
of a patient with toothache of nondental origin
Do I have a toothache
of nondental origin?
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