Acute vs. Chronic Dental Pain

Pain inside or around the outside of your mouth can begin suddenly, or linger over a period of months or years. Acute pain occurs quickly and is usually caused by some form of trauma to hard or soft tissue. Acute dental pain is best managed by a general dentist who may treat the cause of the pain or refer you to an oral surgeon or endodontist for care.

Chronic dental pain is typically pain that persists after treatment has been completed and normal healing has occurred. In some cases, the cause of pain onset may be unclear. It is not uncommon for a patient to seek out an orofacial pain specialist after having multiple fillings, root canals, and extractions performed in an attempt to relieve their pain without any success. The occurence of chronic pain is usually due to a disorder in the peripheral or central nervous system, and may be a combination of the two.

At Pasadena Orofacial Pain Associates, we will assess your dental pain and make treatment recommendations based on a detailed questionaire about your pain and a thorough examination. When a diagnosis of acute pain is made, you will be referred to your general dentist for treatment to resolve your pain. We do not provide any general dental procedures for our patients.

Chronic dental pain is a complex phenomenon and management of your pain may last from days to several months. In most cases, the time required to manage your pain is proportional to how long the pain has been present. If you have been suffering from dental pain for a period of a week or longer, it is important to schedule an appointment with our office as soon as possible to avoid further nerve damage and potentially longer and more complex management.