Orofacial Pain

Orofacial Pain Specialist in Orange County, CA

Orofacial pain is more common than you might realize. In fact, we have quite a few patients that come to our Orange County, CA, practice dealing with recurring or persistent orofacial pain. Our dental team specializes in diagnosing, treating, and managing the many causes of orofacial pain. One of the most common causes of orofacial pain that we see is temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD).

What causes orofacial pain?
Orofacial pain can be characterized and described in a host of different ways. Some people experience burning or stabbing pain, while others may develop headaches, ear pain, and pain in the jaw joint (known as TMD). Along with facial pain, you may also develop other symptoms such as neck and shoulder pain and tinnitus (ringing in the ears). Symptoms may appear suddenly or may appear gradually. If you are dealing with severe or persistent orofacial pain, our Cypress, CA, dental team can determine what’s causing your pain and how to best treat it.

Some of the most common causes of orofacial pain include,

  • Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD)
  • Neuropathic pain disorders (often caused by trigeminal nerve damage)
  • Neurovascular disorders
  • Sleep apnea, snoring, and other sleep disorders
  • Facial trauma or injury
  • Burning mouth syndrome
  • Cervicalgia

How is orofacial pain treated?
We offer a full range of treatment options to help our patients alleviate their orofacial pain. Of course, to determine the best treatment plan, we first need to figure out the cause of your orofacial pain.

For example, many people coming into our practice are dealing with TMD. This condition can be properly managed through simple lifestyle changes and with a night splint that our team can custom fit to your mouth. In more serious cases, TMD can benefit from Botox injections or even surgery.

If the pain is due to trigeminal nerve dysfunction or damage, there are certain pain medications we can prescribe. If medications aren’t right for you, surgery may be recommended.

If pain is caused by sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) or snoring, we can also fit you with a custom oral appliance that can keep airways open while you sleep to better manage your sleep problem while also improving orofacial pain.

If you are dealing with jaw or facial pain, you must find out what’s causing it, so you can get the relief you need. Turn to Dr. Phan and the experts at YP Center for TMJ, Orofacial Pain, Headaches, and Sleep Medicine in Orange County, CA, to address your orofacial pain.
To schedule a consultation, simply call us at (657) 313-5571!