If you’ve recently gotten dental surgery and now feel a persistent pain in the place where the oral surgery was performed, you might be suffering from phantom tooth pain. Here, we’ll explain what that is, what symptoms are associated with it, whether it’s normal to experience after dental surgery, how you diagnose it, and what your treatment options are for this phenomenon.
What Is Phantom Tooth Pain?
Phantom tooth pain, also known as atypical odontalgia or atypical tooth pain, is a constant, chronic, lingering pain in your mouth in an area where you just had dental work done. For example, after an extraction you feel pain in the space where there is no longer a tooth. This condition is similar to its more commonly known cousin phantom limb syndrome, where amputees feel pain where their amputated limb used to be. This is not a physical issue, but a neurological one that can even cause pain to spread to larger areas across the jaw. The pain’s intensity can vary, with some individuals experiencing very severe phantom tooth pain.
Is Phantom Tooth Pain Normal After Dental Surgery?
Phantom tooth pain most often begins after dental surgery. Whether it’s a root canal, extraction, or filling, phantom tooth pain is the result of a damaged or dysfunctional nerve that sends signs to the brain saying that there is pain in a tooth that may no longer be there. Phantom tooth pain, like phantom limb syndrome, is not rare but it is uncommon. It’s important to reach out to your oral surgeon, or an experienced dental care provider like Dr. Lambeth, if you believe you are experiencing phantom tooth pain.
What Are the Symptoms of Phantom Tooth Pain?
The common symptoms of tooth pain are described as mild to severe throbbing or aching tooth pain. The pain can vary from one end of the spectrum to the other throughout the span of a single day. While the phantom tooth pain may start in the one area, it can also spread to other parts of your mouth and even your jaw. Those who experience phantom tooth pain also struggle to pinpoint the exact location the pain is coming from. Phantom tooth pain symptoms differ from those of a typical toothache because the cause is not identifiable. With normal tooth pain, there is often a specific cause such as tooth decay, gum disease, or a knocked out tooth.
What Causes Phantom Tooth Pain?
While the exact cause of atypical odontalgia is unknown, there are a variety of factors that may influence your likelihood of experiencing phantom tooth pain. Possible factors include:
- Restorative dental procedures such as tooth extractions or root canal therapy
- Genetic predispositions
- Psychological factors like stress or depression
There has even been research to suggest that age and sex can play a part in causing phantom tooth pain with women experiencing the condition more than men and those middle-aged and older more often struggling with phantom tooth pain than younger individuals.
How Do You Diagnose Phantom Tooth Pain?
Because there is no clear cause of phantom tooth pain, diagnosis can take a while because there is no external symptom. To diagnose phantom tooth pain, a dental health professional will observe the patient over time and work through eliminating any other dental health issues. Misdiagnosis is not an uncommon occurrence.
What Is the Treatment for Phantom Tooth Pain?
Because phantom tooth pain is not the result of an identifiable, physical oral health issue, treatment often means managing the pain with medication. There are a number of antidepressants, steroids, NMDA receptor antagonists, anticonvulsants, and narcotics that can manage the pain, while treatments like acupuncture and nerve stimulation have also shown that they can help diminish the phantom tooth pain.
Is Phantom Tooth Pain Permanent?
Phantom tooth pain is not necessarily permanent. While many patients had phantom tooth pain disappear as suddenly as it appeared, many have also had to continue managing the condition through medication for many years. There are also individuals who experienced a steady decrease in their pain until it disappeared altogether.
If you’re experiencing tooth pain it’s important to contact your dentist right away to get treatment. At the end of the day, tooth pain is not normal, and while phantom tooth pain is possible, there is usually a diagnosis that can be reached with the help of a dental health professional.