Permalink : http://hdl.handle.net/2115/67333

KEYWORDS : orofacial pain;trigeminal physiology;pain classification;risk factors

Clinical oral physiology is a part of dentistry dealing with orofacial pain, jaw function, occlusal problems, and saliva physiology. Essential to this field is deep-seated physiological knowledge as a prerequisite to understand, diagnose, and manage pathophysiological conditions in the orofacial region. This review describes some of the milestones within the knowledge base of orofacial pain. Today, there is significant progress in the classification and diagnostic criteria for most of the orofacial pain conditions. This is matched with an appreciation of the immense complexity of chronic pain, and the need for an interdisciplinary approach for successful management.