Orofacial pain management: an update.
New treatments for orofacial pain have been developed in recent years. In the case of cluster headache, new drugs are now administered via the intranasal route, while in patients with chewing pain the topical application of capsaicin and the use of oral splints in combination with jaw movement exercises are the most widely used management approaches. In the case of neurogenic pain new anticonvulsivants have been introduced, with fewer side effects than carbamazepine. The latest pharmacological advances involve the use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs and opioids via the topical route, and the combination of different analgesics. The present review discusses the latest advances in the treatment of orofacial pain.
Martorell-Calatayud
Luis
L
Facultad de Medicina y Odontología, Universidad de Valencia, Spain.
García-Mira
Berta
B
Peñarrocha-Diago
Miguel
M
D005157:Facial Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans