title: Incidence and characteristics of acute referred orofacial pain caused by a posterior single tooth pulpitis in an Iranian population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study was designed to evaluate incidence and characteristics of acute referred orofacial pain caused by a posterior single tooth pulpitis in an Iranian population.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional study, 3,150 patients (1,400 males and 1,750 females) with pain in the orofacial region were evaluated via clinical and radiographic examination to determine their pain source. Patients completed a standardized clinical questionnaire consisting of a numerical rating scale for pain intensity and chose verbal descriptors from short form McGill questionnaire to describe the quality of their pain. Visual analog scale (VAS) was used to score pain intensity. In addition, patients indicated sites to which pain referred by drawing on an illustration of the head and neck. Data were analyzed using chi-square, fisher exact, and Mann-Whitney tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two thousand and hundred twenty patients (67/3%) reported pain in sites that diagnostically differed from the pain source. According to statistical analysis, sex (P = 0.02), intensity of pain (0.04), and quality (P = 0.001) of pain influenced its referral nature, while age of patients and kind of stimulus had no considerable effect on pain referral (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the present study show the prevalence of referred pain in the head, face, and neck region is moderately high. Therefore, in patients with orofacial pain, it is essential to carefully examination before carrying out treatment that could be inappropriate.
authors: Kerman Oral and Dental Diseases Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors: Maryam Alsadat
authors: MA
authors: Hashemipour
authors: Roya
authors: R
authors: Borna
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005157:Facial Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D053591:Referred Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011671:Pulpitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: incidence; orofacial; pulpitis; referred pain