title: A set of descriptors for the diagnosis of dental pain syndromes.
abstract: Two hundred patients with pain in the head and neck area completed the McGill-Melzack Pain Questionnaire before a diagnosis was made or treatment was recommended for their complaints. The class and subclass of the chosen pain descriptors were compiled for each of three broad categories of pain: pain of periodontal origin, pain of pulpal origin, and pain associated with temporomandibular syndrome (TMS). Chi-square analysis showed that TMS pain-word patterns were significantly different from those associated with pain of periodontal or pulpal origin (p less than or equal to 0.05). Word patterns for pulpal and periodontal pain did not differ significantly (p greater than or equal to 0.05). A larger sample and further study are indicated to determine whether unique word patterns may be developed for individual oral pain syndromes. Ease of administration and the capability of detecting consistent patterns of pain descriptors make the McGill-Melzack Pain Questionnaire a potentially useful tool for the diagnosis and management of pain syndromes in dentistry.
authors.forename: E H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: G T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Terezhalmy
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Pelleu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005157:Facial Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013706:Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D009626:Terminology as Topic; D014098:Toothache / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology