Pain in the clinical practice of the dentist: elusive simplicity
Lyashev I.N.¹, Ekusheva E.V.<sup>2

1</sup> Scientific and Clinical Center of Otorhinolaryngology of Federal Medical Biological Agency of Russia, Moscow
² Institute for Advanced Studies of the Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow

Practicing dentists, like general practitioners, often encounter an orofacial pain. Correct diagnosis and determination of the tactics of treatment of pain syndrome often becomes a difficult task for the clinician. Careful collection of anamnesis and careful analysis of the patient's status before the additional diagnosing can be the key to choosing the right algorithm for further activities. The need to have basic knowledge in related disciplines and close cooperation with specialists in these fields is the basis of an effective approach in the treatment of pain syndrome. This article presents data on the prevalence of orofacial pain in the general population, the issues of classification and diagnostic criteria for orofacial pain are discussed. The clinical features of odontogenic pain syndrome are highlighted. The authors give several observations from their own clinical practice as the examples of difficult routes of patients with a long history of orofacial pain. Careful comparison of the complaints, the history, the clinical course of the disease and the data of objective research helps the clinician to find a more serious neurological and surgical pathology disguised until now.

Key words: orofacial pain, facial pain, facial neuralgia, facial neuropathy, herpetic neuropathy, myofascial pain syndrome, temporomandibular joint arthritis, temporomandibular joint dysfunction, odontogenic pain. 
For citation: Lyashev I.N., Ekusheva E.V. Pain in the clinical practice of the dentist: elusive simplicity // RMJ. 2017. № 24. P. 1770–1774.