Trigeminal neuralgia and glossopharyngeal neuralgia: two orofacial pain syndromes encountered by dentists.

Background: Dentists frequently evaluate patients for oropharyngeal pain that may or may not eventually be related to oral pathology. Two rare neurological disorders that present with severe orofacial pain are trigeminal neuralgia, or TN, and glossopharyngeal neuralgia, or GPN. Both are secondary to cranial nerve compression by arteries and veins at the point at which the nerves exit the pons and brainstem.

Results: The authors present the results for two series of patients treated for TN and GPN. Significant success can be seen after intracranial microvascular decompression for both disorders, with low complication rates. Short- and long-term outcomes depend on proper patient selection.

Clinical Implications: It is important for practitioners to recognize these syndromes and properly refer patients to a neurosurgeon experienced in treating such disorders. This can help the dentist and patient avoid oral procedures that will not alleviate the painful symptoms.