Nonodontogenic Pain Essay

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All dental patients who present to the dental office with a chief complaint of “pain” may not have an odontogenic etiology for their pain. A differential diagnosis of nonodontogenic pain includes myofascial pain, pain of neurovascular origin, toothache of cardiac origin, episodic neuropathic toothache, atypical odontalgia, of a sinus toothache, and toothache of psychogenic origin1. A review of the characteristics of pain from an odontogenic source would be useful in order to recognize any aberrations. Characteristics of pain from an odontogenic source include a dull, achy, throbbing with occasionally sharp pain. Other characteristics of pulpal pain include an identifiable condition that would explain the symptoms and local anesthesia to the affected tooth eliminates the pain. Signs of periodontal pain are an identifiable periodontal condition that explains the symptoms of a dull, aching, or throbbing pain. Also, under a load of occlusal pressure during chewing, the tooth feels sore and discomfort is only felt when biting pressure is released. Local anesthesia to the affected periodontal …show more content…

When pain is referred, local provocation of the site of pain fails to increase the pain1. In addition, local anesthesia placed at the site of pain fails to reduce the pain1. Patients with nonodontogenic pain also have a persistent recurrent toothache that lasts several months or years1. They can have spontaneous multiple toothaches and local anesthesia to the suspected tooth does not eliminate the pain1. This is the key difference between pain from an odontogenic and nonodontogenic source. In addition, pain from a nonodontogenic source fails to respond to dental

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