Point of Care March 2009

Background A neuropathy is a disease or abnormality of the nervous system. Facial neuropathy affects the facial nerves and can therefore be of great significance to the practising dentist. The symptoms include anesthesia, dysesthesia or paresthesia of the affected nerve. The condition may present as moderate to severe pain, burning, tingling, prickling or numbness. The differential diagnosis for facial neuropathy usually includes local trauma, multiple sclerosis and diabetes mellitus. Other, less common diagnoses, including neoplasms, odontogenic lesions, amyloid disease, syphilis, osteomyelitis and AIDS, are not discussed in this article. A good understanding of facial neuropathy is essential to avoid misdiagnosis and may even save the patient’s life.