Oral Surgery For Trigeminal Neuralgia And Orofacial Pain

Having orofacial pain is more common than most people realize. Often, many people go through orofacial pain every day without treatment, and some go through the trials of trigeminal neuralgia, an orofacial condition that’s considered one of the most painful conditions today. Oral surgeons often work to help treat patients facing orofacial pain through various treatments and help correct their underlying health problems.

How Does Oral Surgery Treat Trigeminal Neuralgia and Orofacial Pain 

Orofacial pain can be described in many words – from dull and throbbing to sharp stabbing; people can face it and not know why they’re experiencing it. Some people face additional symptoms such as headaches, problems chewing, muscle soreness, and jaw clicking with their orofacial pain. Overall, many causes can contribute to orofacial pain, including: 

• Bruxism or Teeth Grinding
• Missing Teeth
• Tooth Misalignment
• Temporomandibular Joint Disorder
• Facial Trauma to the Face, Neck, and Jaw

However, in more specific instances, some people face a condition known as trigeminal neuralgia. Trigeminal neuralgia is an orofacial condition that causes electric shocks of pain throughout the face, neck, and jawline. As an extreme form of facial pain, its symptoms are excruciating and can occur at random intervals without known triggers. This condition occurs along the fifth cranial nerve, the nerve responsible for sending pain messages to the brain. When this nerve malfunctions, it can occur in any one of the three branches it exists along, including:  

• Ophthalmic Branch: When pain exists along the ophthalmic branch, it runs along the eye, forehead, and front of the head.
• Maxillary Branch: When pain exists along the maxillary branch runs along the cheeks, upper jaw, teeth, gums, and along the side of the nose.
• Mandibular Branch: When pain exists along the mandibular branch runs along the lower jaw, teeth, and gums. 

To combat this problem, oral surgeons can use conservative and surgical methods to treat orofacial pain. Oral surgeons specialize in areas of the face, neck, and mouth that most dentists don’t, and to treat these conditions, they can provide treatment options such as: 

• Oral Appliances: Options such as mouth guards and stabilization splints can help support the mouth and jawline and relieve pain from orofacial conditions such as bruxism. 
• Prescription Muscle Relaxants: Muscle relaxants can help patients facing severe muscle pain caused by chronic health conditions. 
• Orthognathic Surgery: Orthognathic surgery is used to correct bite problems and jaw alignment issues that contribute to orofacial pain. 
• Arthrocentesis: This procedure flushes out the temporomandibular joint and relieves the jaw from experiencing tension and nerve pain. 
• Arthroscopy: This surgery removes excess joint tissues and works to realign the jaw to assist with orofacial pain caused by TMD or other conditions. 
• Arthroplasty: Arthroplasty corrects structural problems within the jawline and focuses on relieving pressure off the trigeminal nerve. 
• Facial Fracture Surgery: Patients that have severe facial trauma can get facial reconstructive and repair from an oral surgeon to relieve their pain. 
• Tooth Extractions: Some cases of orofacial pain are caused by tooth problems, and oral surgeons can perform complex tooth extractions to relieve the issue. 

Find Out About Oral Surgery Options From Sunset Dental Group

As primary dentists and providers of excellent dental care, both Dr. Amanda Rae Kronquist and Dr. Zakary Adam Kronquist can help you find solutions to your orofacial pain through a variety of treatment options. To learn more about oral surgery in Santa Ana, CA, contact Sunset Dental Group today by calling (714) 547-6671 for more information.