ABSTRACT

The neurogenous orofacial pain is often overdiagnosed as an idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia. The buco-dental origin of this pain was described more than fifty years ago.

Description of two cases of patients diagnosed with essential trigeminal neuralgia. Both are edentulous with full maxillar and mandibular prostheses, and present a severe maxillo-mandibular atrophy. There is submucosal exposure of the mental nerve due to the loss of the mandibular nerve canal.

The submucosal compression of the inferior alveolar nerve as the result of pressure exercised by dental prostheses can cause orofacial pain which can lead to its incorrect diagnosis. Prosthetic rehabilitation over osseointegrated implants eliminates pain symptoms and saves patients from further medical treatment.