Atypical odontalgia (AO) is a chronic trigeminal neuropathic pain affecting the maxillary or mandibular divisions of the trigeminal nerve. Patients with AO often have continuous pain located in a tooth, the gingiva or an extraction site, and it often can involve other areas of the face.
The cause of Neuropathic pain or AO is unknown in most patients. In a few cases, trauma to the trigeminal nerve is caused by surgeries, tumors and autoimmune diseases, dental procedures, root canals, extractions, gum surgeries and even dental cleanings.
You may be suffering from AO or neuropathic pain if you have any of the following:
Dr. Ram, the specialist in this area, will listen to your history and perform a thorough clinical evaluation including a cranial nerve exam and any necessary radiographs or scans or MRI and will provide a diagnosis and treatment plan tailored to your condition.
Treatment for neuropathic pain disorders may require considerable patience to eventually control the pain due to unresponsive treatments. Try to avoid being discouraged if you do not get well immediately. Management includes medications such as anticonvulsants, tricyclic antidepressants, local anesthetics and selective serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). Dr. Ram’s research areas include Neuropathic pain or AO. To read Dr. Ram’s article on AO click on the link below:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19188419