We Are Orofacial Pain Specialists
We’ll help you find the right diagnosis and care
Orofacial pain disorders are highly prevalent and debilitating conditions involving the head, face, and neck.
As a result of past treatment failures, many patients are told by their doctors that their symptoms are all in their head. Sometimes, patients feel as if they were being personally blamed for having a problem.
If you are one of those people who have facial pain that has lingered, not only is your pain real—it is not your fault! Your facial pain can be understood and effectively treated.
Orofacial pain is a field of dentistry. It deals with the diagnosis and care of nondental pain that occurs in the head, face or neck, or inside your mouth. These types of disorders all have specific causes and treatments. Orofacial pain is associated with a number of conditions. Some of the most common are musculoskeletal disorders like temporomandibular disorders (TMD). TMDs are disorders involving the temporomandibular joints (TMJs), which help control the jaw. They also affect the muscles used to chew and talk, as well as other associated structures.
TMD is most prevalent in women, but overall, about 5 to 12% of people can have some form of TMD. Myofascial pain, for instance, presents “referred pain.” This is where pain is felt in a different part of the body than where it’s originating. For example, if your teeth hurt and your dentist did not find a dental cause for your pain, the pain may be “referred” from other muscles in your face or head. Another facial pain disorder is trigeminal neuralgia. This is where brief, sharp, shooting, electrical and severe pain can be triggered by actions that don’t normally hurt. For example, lightly touching your face, brushing your teeth, talking, chewing or shaving can all trigger pain in trigeminal neuralgia.
Although some facial pain is difficult to manage, the most common facial pain problems originate in the teeth and the muscles of the face, jaw and neck. Fortunately, these problems have predictable treatment solutions that we can put into place after your evaluation with Dr. Carpenter.
Orofacial Pain Treatment
The first step to treating orofacial pain is to properly diagnose the cause. Unfortunately, because so many conditions can cause orofacial pain, it’s easy to improperly diagnose the underlying factors. Far too many of our patients have visited several offices before finally receiving the answers to their pain here. That’s why it’s important to reach out to an experienced orofacial pain doctor like Dr. Carpenter.
Each individual cause of orofacial pain, TMD, and related conditions will need to be treated appropriately. In some cases, treatment may include stopping bad habits, such as teeth grinding. In other cases, prescription drugs may be used. Other situations may necessitate surgery.
Schedule an Appointment with our Orofacial Pain & TMJ Experts Today!
While TMJ therapy or a TMJ oral devices can help correct your bite and decrease the symptoms you’re experiencing, the only way to find out what the best treatment option is for you is to schedule a consultation with Dr. Carpenter in San Diego. Once our team has provided you with a comprehensive examination, our experts will work with you to find the most appropriate treatment option. To set up an appointment with our team, simply call us at 858-277-3910.
