Trigeminal Neuralgia: Symptoms, Dental Diagnosis & When Should a Dentist Refer?
By Dr. Vivek Kumar CrackDental - Clinical Dentistry Simplified A patient walks into the dental clinic complaining of severe pain on one side of the face. They point towards a particular tooth and say, The first thought naturally goes towards a dental cause. But what if the tooth is completely normal? This is where trigeminal neuralgia should be considered in the differential diagnosis. Trigeminal neuralgia is a neurological pain disorder involving the trigeminal nerve. Because the maxillary and mandibular divisions of this nerve supply sensation to the teeth and surrounding oral structures, patients can sometimes describe the pain exactly like a toothache. For dentists, recognizing this pattern is important—not only for diagnosis, but also to prevent unnecessary root canal treatment or extraction of a tooth that is not responsible for the pain. What is Trigeminal Neuralgia? Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a neuropathic pain condition involving the trigeminal nerve, als...