title: Quantitative sensory testing in trigeminal nerve damage assessment.
abstract: Evaluating sensory nerve damage is a challenging and often frustrating process. Diagnosis and follow-up is usually based on the patient's history and gross physical evaluation in addition to simple sensory tests such as brushing or pin prick. Based on evidence accumulated from clinical and animal experiments, quantitative sensory testing (QST) has emerged as a useful tool in the assessment of sensory nerve damage. QST has demonstrated diagnostic capabilities in temporomandibular disorders, burning mouth syndrome, oral malignancies, numb chin syndrome, posttraumatic pain, and whiplash injuries, and in elucidating mechanisms of central sensitization. In this article specific clinical uses of QST are described and its clinical applicability is demonstrated. Future studies should be directed at exploring the use of QST in the diagnosis and classification of further nerve pathologies.
authors.affiliation: UMDNJ-New Jersey Dental School Newark, New Jersey 07, USA. eeliav@netvision.net.il
authors.forename: Eli
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Eliav
authors.forename: Richard H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Gracely
authors.forename: Oded
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Nahlieli
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Benoliel
mesh_terms: D002054:Burning Mouth Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D020209:Cranial Nerve Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005157:Facial Pain / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D009443:Neuritis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000379:methods*; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D012684:Sensory Thresholds; D020886:Somatosensory Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D013697:Thermosensing; D014110:Touch; D061221:Trigeminal Nerve Injuries; D014277:Trigeminal Neuralgia / Q000175:diagnosis