Läkartidningen
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Pain is a major public health problem. The management of orofacial pain may be a difficult challenge to the medical and dental professions. Ideally, severe cases of this type of pain should be treated by a team drawn from several disciplines such as neurology, otolaryngology, dentistry and psychiatry. ⋯ When pus is present, drainage affords excellent pain relief. Acute pericoronitis involving mandibular third molars responds to irrigation, removal of maxillary third molar trauma, and--in cases of serious infection--antimicrobial therapy. Early recognition of a case of chronic pain improves the chances of successful management, and avoids frustration and disillusion both to patient and doctor.