Orofacial Pain

Preface

Scott S. De Rossi, DMD David A. Sirois, DMD, PhD

Editors

Pain of the oral and maxillofacial structures encompasses aspects of general dental
practice as well as medical and dental specialties. Pain has been considered a fifth
vital sign and is a common presenting complaint among dental patients. Orofacial
pain is a too prevalent and often debilitating condition with significant economic and
social sequelae. In fact, the World Health Organization underscores the importance
of pain and defines oral health as a state of being free from chronic mouth and facial
pain. Oral health care providers are often involved in the prevention, evaluation,
diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of orofacial pain disorders. These disorders
may have pain and associated symptoms arising from a discrete identifiable cause,
such as postoperative pain or pain associated with a malignancy, or may be part of
syndromes in which pain constitutes the primary problem, such as temporomandibular
disorder pain, neuropathic pain, or headaches. The diagnosis of orofacial pain relies on
interpretation of historical data; review of laboratory studies, imaging, behavioral, so-
cial, and occupational assessments; interview and examination by the clinician. Appro-
priate treatment of patients is dependent on an astute, knowledgeable, and dedicated
clinician able to synthesize information from history and comprehensive clinical exam-
ination, to develop an accurate diagnosis, and to implement a treatment plan consis-
tent with the standards of care based on currently available scientific literature.
This issue of Dental Clinics of North America combines the contributions of
numerous world renowned clinical, research, and teaching scholars. And it has been
a distinct pleasure to have assembled and worked with such an esteemed group.
This work is not intended to be an all-encompassing text on all aspects of orofacial
pain. Instead, it is a guide for clinicians in the care of their patients by providing evi-
dence-based insight regarding patient assessment, diagnosis, and management.
I would like to acknowledge and thank my teachers, colleagues, residents, stu-
dents, and patients, who have been a part of my career. For their loving support and
instilling in me the desire to be an educator, I thank my parents, Steven and Catherine

Dent Clin N Am 57 (2013) xixii

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cden.2013.05.001 dental.theclinics.com
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xii Preface

De Rossi; and my wife, Dr Katharine Ciarrocca, and my daughters, Sofia and Evan-
gelia, whose love, support, patience, and understanding have allowed me so many
blessings.
Scott S. De Rossi, DMD
Department of Oral Health and Diagnostic Sciences
College of Dental Medicine
Department of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery
and Department of Dermatology
Medical College of Georgia
Georgia Regents University
1120 15th Street
Augusta, GA 30912, USA

David A. Sirois, DMD, PhD

Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Radiology and Medicine
New York University College of Dentistry
Department of Neurology
New York University School of Medicine
380 2nd Avenue, Suite 301
New York, NY 10010, USA

E-mail addresses:
SDEROSSI@gru.edu (S.S. De Rossi)
ds62@nyu.edu (D.A. Sirois)