J Orofac Pain
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Craniofacial pain is a term that encompasses pain in the head, face, and related structures. Multiple etiologies and factors may be related to craniofacial pain; however, the association between the cervical spine and its related structures and craniofacial pain is still a topic of debate. The objective of this critical review was to present and analyze the evidence of the associations between the cervical spine, stomatognathic system, and craniofacial pain. ⋯ The information provided by this review suggests an association between the cervical spine, stomatognathic system, and craniofacial pain, but most of this information is not conclusive and was derived from poor-quality studies (levels 3b, 4, and 5 based on Sackett's classification). Better designed studies are needed in order to clarify the real influence that the cervical spine has in relation to the stomatognathic system and craniofacial pain.
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Comparative Study
Increased pain sensitivity to intraoral capsaicin in patients with atypical odontalgia.
To use 2 well-characterized stimuli, the intraoral capsaicin model and the "nociceptive-specific" electrode, to compare superficial nociceptive function between patients with atypical odontalgia (AO) and matched healthy controls. Furthermore, the authors aimed to describe the sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive values (PPV) of the techniques if group differences could be established. ⋯ AO patients show increased sensitivity to intraoral capsaicin but normal sensitivity to "nociceptive-specific" electrical stimulation of the face in an area proximal to the painful site. The use of the intraoral pain-provocation test with capsaicin as a possible adjunct to the diagnostic workup is hampered by the only moderately good sensitivity and specificity.
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To describe patients' daily coping with the pain of chronic temporomandibular disorders (TMD), the conservative treatment received, and the self-care strategies used, and to examine the relationships between these strategies and daily pain intensity, activity interference, and jaw use limitations. ⋯ TMD clinic patients use a variety of treatment, self-care, and coping strategies to contend with daily pain. Inquiring about a broad range of strategies might help clinicians better understand how individual patients approach pain management. Research is needed to examine whether decreasing activity reduction and emotional support coping results in improved outcomes.
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To examine the relationship between different types of self-reported oral parafunctions and pain intensity in patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD). ⋯ No clinically relevant relationships were found between different types of self-reported oral parafunctions and TMD pain complaints.
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To estimate the prevalence and pattern of self-reported orofacial pain symptoms and treatment-seeking behavior in adult Cantonese-speaking Chinese people in Hong Kong. ⋯ Orofacial pain symptoms appear to affect more than a quarter of the adult population in Hong Kong, and prevalence estimates were consistent with those in Western countries. A substantial proportion of the pain symptoms were frequent and of moderate to severe intensity, with the potential for significant morbidity. Professional treatment seeking was very low and may be related to specific pain behaviors and effective coping strategies in this ethnic group.