Overview of TMD and orofacial pain.

Dr Dermot Canavan BDentSc, MGDS (Edin), MS U Calif 69 Eglinton Road, Donnybrook, Dublin 4 Tel: 01 2694022 Fax: 01 2694004 Introduction Orofacial pain is an important issue for both patients and clinicians alike. Pain within the oral cavity is most frequently dental in origin (odontogenic) and extra-orally the most common source of pain is musculoskeletal (TMD). Once these conditions have been excluded, the diagnostic process becomes more difficult. The differential diagnosis for non-odontogenic pain is extensive. Possible causes of orofacial pain range from intracranial disease to a variety of benign facial pain syndromes. This article briefly reviews some of the more common disorders associated with persistent orofacial pain, while the implications for general practice dentistry are also noted. scientific