Chronic orofacial chronic pain affects ˜5-12% of the population. Acute orofacial pain is experienced by the majority of the worldwide population during their lifetime. Chronic orofacial pain mechanisms are grossly understudied at pre-clinical and clinical levels. As a result, little-to-no improvement in the clinical management of orofacial chronic pain has substantially contributed to an epidemic increase in opioid use and overdose-related deaths over the last few decades. There are many types of orofacial pain conditions. Each of these conditions has unique pathophysiology and distinct mechanisms for the development of pain chronicity. Moreover, disorders causing chronic pain are frequently accompanied by comorbid pain conditions elsewhere in the body, as well as general health, psychosocial, or sleep disturbances.
The goal of this Research Topic is to outline the current progress in understanding the mechanisms of different types of chronic orofacial pain. This hopefully will give opportunities for readers to draw critical similarities and differences between mechanisms underlying the chronicity of these orofacial pain conditions. It is hoped that bringing together all these reviews, discussions, and outlined perspectives written by the field’s leaders will produce a timely and gratifying read. One that will promote collaborations among different disciplines, inspiring new ideas that will result in a deeper understanding of chronic orofacial pain and pathological processes accompanying and regulating these conditions, which eventually will increase chances in the development of new therapeutic strategies and approaches.
Special focus will be given (but is not restricted) to:
1. Contemporary approaches and tools for dissecting the function of trigeminal neurons on single-cell levels
a. Literature on group/clusters of sensory neurons in trigeminal ganglia
b. Function of dental sensory innervation
c. Regulation, pathophysiology, and chronicity of orthodontic pain
2. Advances and prospects of Stem Cell Therapy for the management of orofacial pain
3. Basic mechanisms and clinical aspects of pain chronicity during chronic oral cancer pain
4. Mucositis pain and involvement of TRP channels in the regulation of hypersensitivity and nociception at the periphery
5. Importance of central mechanism in the regulation of chronicity in orofacial pain
a. Accumulated evidence that gut microbiota can contribute to chronic orofacial pain modulation through microbiota-gut-brain axis
b. The potential mechanisms for negative emotional and cognitive effects of orofacial neuropathies and outline directions for future studies
6. Clinical aspects of orofacial pain
a. Clinical aspects of Mastication Myalgia (TMDM)
b. Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJD) clinical discoveries, diagnostic and types
Chronic orofacial chronic pain affects ˜5-12% of the population. Acute orofacial pain is experienced by the majority of the worldwide population during their lifetime. Chronic orofacial pain mechanisms are grossly understudied at pre-clinical and clinical levels. As a result, little-to-no improvement in the clinical management of orofacial chronic pain has substantially contributed to an epidemic increase in opioid use and overdose-related deaths over the last few decades. There are many types of orofacial pain conditions. Each of these conditions has unique pathophysiology and distinct mechanisms for the development of pain chronicity. Moreover, disorders causing chronic pain are frequently accompanied by comorbid pain conditions elsewhere in the body, as well as general health, psychosocial, or sleep disturbances.
The goal of this Research Topic is to outline the current progress in understanding the mechanisms of different types of chronic orofacial pain. This hopefully will give opportunities for readers to draw critical similarities and differences between mechanisms underlying the chronicity of these orofacial pain conditions. It is hoped that bringing together all these reviews, discussions, and outlined perspectives written by the field’s leaders will produce a timely and gratifying read. One that will promote collaborations among different disciplines, inspiring new ideas that will result in a deeper understanding of chronic orofacial pain and pathological processes accompanying and regulating these conditions, which eventually will increase chances in the development of new therapeutic strategies and approaches.
Special focus will be given (but is not restricted) to:
1. Contemporary approaches and tools for dissecting the function of trigeminal neurons on single-cell levels
a. Literature on group/clusters of sensory neurons in trigeminal ganglia
b. Function of dental sensory innervation
c. Regulation, pathophysiology, and chronicity of orthodontic pain
2. Advances and prospects of Stem Cell Therapy for the management of orofacial pain
3. Basic mechanisms and clinical aspects of pain chronicity during chronic oral cancer pain
4. Mucositis pain and involvement of TRP channels in the regulation of hypersensitivity and nociception at the periphery
5. Importance of central mechanism in the regulation of chronicity in orofacial pain
a. Accumulated evidence that gut microbiota can contribute to chronic orofacial pain modulation through microbiota-gut-brain axis
b. The potential mechanisms for negative emotional and cognitive effects of orofacial neuropathies and outline directions for future studies
6. Clinical aspects of orofacial pain
a. Clinical aspects of Mastication Myalgia (TMDM)
b. Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJD) clinical discoveries, diagnostic and types
