title: Pain and temporomandibular disorders: a pharmaco-gender dilemma.
abstract: Gender is the biggest risk factor in the development of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and orofacial pain. Gender differences in pain thresholds, temporal summation, pain expectations, and somatic awareness exist in patients with chronic TMD or orofacial pain. There are gender differences in pharmacokenetics and pharmacodynamics of medications used to treat pain. A better understanding of the mechanisms that contribute to the increased incidence and persistence of chronic pain in females is needed. Future research will elucidate the sex effects on factors that protect against developing pain or prevent debilitating pain. Gender-based treatments for TMD and orofacial pain treatment will evolve from the translational research stimulated by this knowledge.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA 02215, USA. jeffry_shaefer@hsdm.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Jeffry R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Shaefer
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Holland
authors.forename: Julia S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Whelan
authors.forename: Ana Miriam
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Velly
mesh_terms: D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000503:physiopathology; D005157:Facial Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017288:Pain Threshold; D010599:Pharmacokinetics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013705:Temporomandibular Joint Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016387:Women's Health