PRESENTATION OF PAIN AND NERVE INVOLVEMENT IN TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA PATIENTS

Abstract

Objective: To determine pain distribution and nerve involvement of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) patients at Armed Forces Institute of Dentistry, Rawalpindi.
Material and Methods: A one year cross sectional study from Feb 2009 to Feb 2010 of TN patients was conducted in oral and maxillofacial surgery department, Armed Forces Institute of Dentistry, Rawalpindi. A detailed history of patients suffering from TN was taken followed by thorough extra-oral and intra-oral examination. The parameters analyzed included age of onset, gender, site of involvement, nerve branch involvement and clinical presentations. History and clinical features of already diagnosed cases with TN was included as such.
Results: A total of 52 patients were included in the study. The patients had a mean age of 52.25 ± 14.82 years. The male to female ratio was 1:1.3. The mean age of onset was 48.5 ± 13.3 years. Right side was involved in 59.6% of the patients. V2 was most commonly involved nerve (59.6%), followed by V3 (53.8%) and V1 (13.7%). Forty six percent of patients gave history of extractions of teeth as a treatment for this condition. Forty two percent recalled or had previous medical records prescribed with antibiotics and pain killers.
Conclusion: TN in our population is more frequent in females and with more right side involvement. Maxillary division is most commonly affected followed by the mandibular nerve. It is a rare disorder and most of these patients are inadequately diagnosed and treated. Keeping the disease in differential diagnosis of atypical pain without local pathology is advised.