title: Malignant lesions presenting as symptoms of craniomandibular dysfunction.
abstract: Three cases of carcinoma, seen in a head/neck pain management practice during the past 2 years and presenting as craniomandibular dysfunction symptoms, are reported. Clinicians should always consider a differential diagnosis because of the variety of potential causes of the symptoms presented by the patient. These symptoms act as clues to help to differentiate between a routine or "evil" process. The need for imaging and remaining, when the clinical symptoms do not correlate with the clinical examination through established guidelines for craniomandibular dysfunction or head/neck pain, is of paramount importance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, University of Maryland, Baltimore.
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Drum
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Fornadley
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Schnapf
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis; D017271:Craniomandibular Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005157:Facial Pain / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D010307:Parotid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis