What is an orofacial pain specialty?
In short, orofacial pain is a combination medicine and dentistry to treat and relieve chronic pain in muscles joints and nerves.
Back to top

What is unique about Orofacial pain at Raleigh Facial Pain Center?
Orofacial pain:

• Uses some of the latest modalities backed by research
• Incorporates a team of health care professionals
• Coordinates the chronic pain team, to allow patients the best possible treatment
• The center is staffed by a talented staff, some who are former patients, all confident in the center's ability to combat chronic pain.
• Uses methods that are conservative and reversible

Back to top

What is the most gratifying part of being an orofacial pain specialist?
We once treated a woman who suffered an oral burning pain for over 6 months. Her elderly husband came to us saying, "Thanks for giving my wife back to me." There are many such occasions to celebrate at Raleigh Facial Pain Center and these are also the most satisfying moments in our practice - to join with people to visualize and then realize a life that is pain-free.
Back to top

Where do most of orofacial pain patients come from?
60% referred from dentistry 40% referred from medicine
Back to top

What is orofacial pain best known for?

• Tension headache
• TMJ (previous term used to refer to joint damage)

Back to top

What does orofacial pain diagnose and manage?

• Atypical toothache
• Jaw pain
• Earache without infection
• Restricted opening
• Tension headache
• Burning mouth, face, tooth
• Open lock (subluxation)
• Joint noise with pain
• Deviation on opening

Back to top

Is my jaw problem covered by medical or dental insurance?
Medical insurance.
Back to top

Does medical insurance cover the trigeminal orthopedic services provided by Dr. Yount?
Yes. Orofacial pain services are treated the same way as other orthopedic services (back, legs, neck, etc.).
Back to top

Why are orofacial pain services considered medical treatment?
Court rulings, the insurance commissioner, and the law all declare services associated with joint, muscle, and nerve conditions be listed under medical care. Anything directly related to tooth treatment is listed under dental. Orofacial pain treats muscles, joints, and nerves only.
Back to top

What will happen if I ignore the pain or problem?

• Your pain could stay the same, get worse, or get better. The most likely answer is if the aggravators, perpetuators, and initiators remain, it is quite likely it will get worse. Most people would not be seeking pain management if they were satisfied with the quality of their life at present.
• A new pain could add to this current pain. How much pain are you willing to endure and for how long? Months or years later you may find you could have been pain free all those years. How are you going to feel about not electing to participate in pain management now?
• Your pain system negatively adapts to long-term pain, making you more sensitive and more refractory to pain management.

Back to top

Why does it seem more women have chronic pain?


The female predisposition to chronic pain is at a 3 to 1 ratio of female to male, according to double-blinded random studies. The primary reasons are related to estrogen, hypermobility, and stress.

Hormonal: The estrogen receptor on female mast cells (not on male mast cell) creates a weaker cell wall on the mast cell. Thus, a weaker stimulus creates more inflammation chemical release from the mast cell. A clenching stimulus therefore creates more inflammation during estrogen fluxes.

Hypermobility: The hypermobility creates a loose ligament attachment. Thus, a trauma may cause more stretching and tearing of the ligaments in an already hyper mobile joint.

Demands of life: Mothers typically take on the responsibility of better schools, community, church, family, house, etc. They are the back bone of society. All these factors of life wear on the inner biochemistry and physiology.


Back to top

What are the most frequently diagnosed facial pain problems?
Muscles 41%
Joint-Muscle 42%
Neurological 7%
Misc 10%

Back to top

Why do dentists treat facial pain instead of doctors?
Dentists like Dr. Yount attend an orofacial pain residency and become board certified in orofacial pain. The 3 year residency provides extensive training in medical, dental, and allied health professions. The specialty of orofacial pain covers the areas of treatment that falls between the two health care fields. Orofacial pain is a blend of the medicine and dentistry professions.
Back to top

Do general dentists or cosmetic dentists treat jaw pain cases?
General dentists provide care in the area of bruxing (tooth wear). A few general dentists will provide care for simple chewing muscle pain of short duration and low pain levels if there is no jaw joint involvement (deviation, restriction, facial asymmetry, painful click, etc) and no significant medical problem (fibromyalgia, lupus, sleep disorder, arthritis, etc). In other words, the general dentist with extra training can diagnose and manage early simple cases of MPD (inflammation of chewing muscles), but does not usually treat TMD. Some cosmetic dentists attempt to treat facial pain but have not been thoroughly trained or board certified. Be leery of procedures and therapies that are not reversible.
Back to top

Is there a quick fix for TMJ/TMD?
No. Some dentists have attended a course at the Las Vegas Institute on using a Myomonitor to correct bite. This old theory contends that changing the bite can fix TMJ problems. The Myomonitor produces fancy graphs, charts, and other data. To an untrained person, this can be quite impressive. However, the principle used is to place the jaw joint downward and forward on an incline to create muscle bracing. This does not create a true centric relation. Eventually, most people will find this quick fix done now is irreversible and will cause major expensive dental work in the future.
Back to top