Treatment For Orofacial Pain In South Orange, NJ
Orofacial pain takes a toll on your quality of life. Chewing, eating and speaking become more difficult, and a throbbing face puts anyone in a bad mood. The key to treatment is narrowing down the cause of your pain and pinpointing the exact problem. Facial pain can be described as dull and throbbing or sharp and stabbing. Luckily, with help from your Dr. Farrokhi you can understand and find some relief.
Dr. Fariba Farrokhi is well qualified and highly experienced to treat both orofacial pain and temporomandibular disorders. She completed her residency program at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, where she has been a member of Restorative and TMD/Orofacial pain departments since 2007. She was later appointed to be the Associate Director of Temporomandibular Disorders/Orofacial Pain at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in 2016. In 2020, Dr. Farrokhi completed a three-year Master's program in Orofacial Pain and Oral Medicine from University of Southern California. She is a Diplomate of American Board of Orofacial Pain and a Fellow of the American Academy of Orofacial Pain.
What Causes Facial Pain?
Facial pain is caused by countless problems. Some of the more common causes include:
- Abscessed tooth
- Sinus Infection
- Sinusitis
- TMD, or Temporomandibular Joint Disorder
- Trigeminal Neuralgia (nerve damage)
- Trauma
- Headaches
How Is Facial Pain Treated?
After determining what is causing your facial pain, Dr. Farrokhi will provide a treatment plan. At-home care may be beneficial for mild cases. Over-the-counter medication such as Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen may be prescribed . If your pain is severe or does not go away, more involved treatment may be necessary. If facial pain is accompanied by neck, chest, shoulder or arm pain, seeking immediate medical attention could be your best option as these symptoms could be signs of more serious issues.
If an abscessed tooth is the root of your facial pain, we will recommend appropriate treatment. Sinus infections causing facial pain may need a referral to an ENT. Orofacial Pain disorder requires a complete evaluation and then appropriate treatment would be recommended to relieve your pain.
TMD/TMJ Treatment In South Orange, NJ
You might not realize it but South Orange Family Dentistry's dental team doesn’t just treat conditions of the mouth, but also the face and jaw as well. Millions of Americans deal with TMD (temporomandibular joint disorder), a condition caused by the dysfunction of the jaw’s joints.
These joints are responsible for jaw movement and function, from chewing and biting to talking. Therefore, when your jaw starts acting up it’s important that you have a dentist that can provide you with the relief you need. Dr. Fariba Farrokhi DMD, MAGD is highly qualified and experienced in diagnosing and treating TMD. If you are experiencing jaw pain or soreness, popping, clicking, etc., then call our office to schedule an appointment with Dr. Farrokhi.
What Are The Symptoms of TMD?
You may be experiencing TMD if you are dealing with any of these common symptoms:
- Jaw pain and stiffness
- Sore and easily tired jaws and facial muscles
- A popping or clicking sound when opening or closing your mouth
- Pain when opening your mouth fully
- Tension headaches
What Causes TMD?
It’s important to pinpoint the cause of your TMD symptoms so that we can treat the underlying problem. Sometimes TMD is the result of a malocclusion (“bad bite”) such as an overbite or underbite, or other dental alignments. Orthodontic treatment can be used to correct the patient’s misaligned smile, which also reduces the amount of pressure being placed on the jaw joints. Other causes of TMD include,
- Bad habits such as nail biting
- Trauma to the jaws or jaw injuries
- Stress
- Bruxism (nighttime teeth grinding)
Treatment For TMD
Many people find relief from their symptoms through simple at-home measures such as moist heat or ice packs, eating a soft diet or taking over-the-counter pain relievers. Of course if a condition, bad habit or injury is to blame then our dentist can treat the underlying cause. Stress-related TMD can be corrected through relaxation techniques while wearing a custom-made night guard each night can ease symptoms of bruxism and reduce pressure placed on the jaws.
