Can a severe ear pain not be due to otitis? Or what seems like an unbearable toothache not be due to a damaged tooth? And are there any types of headaches that start outside the head? Although it may seem unlikely, the answer to all the above questions is yes! More specifically, facial pains (pains around ​​the mouth and face), are conditions that can be difficult to diagnose and treat even for the most experienced specialists. The pain that starts from the teeth, gums or jawbone, is a pain recognizable by almost everyone, and most common reason for visiting the dentist. Usually, the cause of the pain can be identified and treated relatively easily, offering the patient much-awaited relief. 

However, the same does not apply to the painful dysfunctional syndrome of the temporomandibular joint, the joint between the lower jaw and the rest of the skull, which is often difficult to both detect and treat.

Patients with this syndrome, often complain about pain when opening and closing their mouth, which often reflects on the ear, temple, neck, or the rest of the face. They also report a feeling of feeling fatigue and their head heavy, while in more severe cases, difficulty in opening the mouth.

Fortunately, the primary neuralgia of the trigeminal nerve, the main sensory nerve of the area, rarely occurs around the facial area. The aetiology of this condition is not entirely clear yet and it usually appears suddenly with an acute, penetrating pain that lasts a few seconds.

The pain caused by this neuralgia is so strong that patients avoid even the slightest movement. Overall, dealing with this condition can be difficult and time consuming.

Pain around ​​the face and the jaw, can be also caused by eye, nose, sinus and neck problems. Here it would be good to point out, that in some cases pain due to coronary heart disease can be mirrored on the left corner of the jaw.

In all the cases mentioned above, the role of the dentist is crucial as he is the one who will most probably hear the patient’s first complaints and in many cases will be the one to find the cause and the solution to the problem.

Of course, each case is different, and the problem can often be complex and require the cooperation of various experts. In such cases, the dentist requests a detailed history and conducts a systematic intraoral and extraoral examination of the patient with the facial pain. This is done so that he can direct him to the appropriate specialty for further investigation and treatment of the problem.

Many times, different treatment regimens need to be applied, combined or sequentially, to provide relieve to the patient. In all cases, however, the choice of a reliable and experienced therapist, as well as the close cooperation between him and the patient, can bring the desired result.

For more information or appointments, you can visit our email address www.smaltoclinic.com or call our friendly reception team on 22 112 112.