The stomatognathic system is an anatomical and functional complex of tissues and organs located in the oral and craniofacial cavities. Anatomically, the nervous and stomatognathic systems are clearly close to each other. The nervous system regulates the stomatognathic system in many ways, from the maxillofacial bones to the dental pulp, periodontal ligament, muscles, glands, oral mucosa, tongue, temporomandibular joint, oral cavity, skin, and other structures. This complex regulation of the nervous system is essential for the proper development and function of the maxillofacial system.Pain is a complex biopsychosocial phenomenon that results from the interaction of multiple neuroanatomic and neurochemical systems with a range of cognitive and affective processes. The International Association for the Study of Pain has proposed the following definition of pain: “Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage”. Pain, whether related to injured tissue, inflammation or functional impairment, is mediated by processing in the nervous system. Pain perception is subjective and varies from person to person, as it is influenced by both general and individual elements. These include factors such as age, gender, individual pain threshold, emotional status, degree of stress, cultural factors, etc.Orofacial pain (OFP) is the most common reason for patients to visit the dentist, but the area is complex, and pain can be associated with the hard and soft tissues of the head, face, oral cavity, or nervous system dysfunction. Disorders associated with OFP include but are not limited to temporomandibular muscle and joint (TMJ) disorders, jaw movement disorders, neuropathic and neurovascular pain disorders, headache, and sleep disorders. In general, dental pain is the most common type of OFP. On the other hand, temporomandibular disorder (TMD) is a set of painful conditions affecting the orofacial region that is prevalent and constitute the most frequent type of non-dental pain complaint in the maxillofacial area. Due to the multiple factors that contribute to the development of this condition, its accurate diagnosis can be difficult. One useful instrumental diagnostic tool for evaluating patients with these conditions can be surface electromyography (sEMG). Another reason of OFP is pain associated with orthodontic tooth movement which is accompanied by inflammatory responses in the periodontal ligaments. The biologic mechanism of orthodontic pain is a result of the complex interplay between a large numbers of neurons and chemical mediators in both the central and peripheral nervous systems. Given that the origins of orofacial pain can be numerous and varied, a thorough assessment of the situation is necessary to enable the most appropriate diagnostic pathway to achieve optimal clinical and therapeutic management.In this Research Topic, we are looking for thoughtful and well-written manuscripts that address various aspects of the association between the nervous system and the stomatognathic system, considering the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of orofacial pain conditions.
The stomatognathic system is an anatomical and functional complex of tissues and organs located in the oral and craniofacial cavities. Anatomically, the nervous and stomatognathic systems are clearly close to each other. The nervous system regulates the stomatognathic system in many ways, from the maxillofacial bones to the dental pulp, periodontal ligament, muscles, glands, oral mucosa, tongue, temporomandibular joint, oral cavity, skin, and other structures. This complex regulation of the nervous system is essential for the proper development and function of the maxillofacial system.Pain is a complex biopsychosocial phenomenon that results from the interaction of multiple neuroanatomic and neurochemical systems with a range of cognitive and affective processes. The International Association for the Study of Pain has proposed the following definition of pain: “Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage”. Pain, whether related to injured tissue, inflammation or functional impairment, is mediated by processing in the nervous system. Pain perception is subjective and varies from person to person, as it is influenced by both general and individual elements. These include factors such as age, gender, individual pain threshold, emotional status, degree of stress, cultural factors, etc.Orofacial pain (OFP) is the most common reason for patients to visit the dentist, but the area is complex, and pain can be associated with the hard and soft tissues of the head, face, oral cavity, or nervous system dysfunction. Disorders associated with OFP include but are not limited to temporomandibular muscle and joint (TMJ) disorders, jaw movement disorders, neuropathic and neurovascular pain disorders, headache, and sleep disorders. In general, dental pain is the most common type of OFP. On the other hand, temporomandibular disorder (TMD) is a set of painful conditions affecting the orofacial region that is prevalent and constitute the most frequent type of non-dental pain complaint in the maxillofacial area. Due to the multiple factors that contribute to the development of this condition, its accurate diagnosis can be difficult. One useful instrumental diagnostic tool for evaluating patients with these conditions can be surface electromyography (sEMG). Another reason of OFP is pain associated with orthodontic tooth movement which is accompanied by inflammatory responses in the periodontal ligaments. The biologic mechanism of orthodontic pain is a result of the complex interplay between a large numbers of neurons and chemical mediators in both the central and peripheral nervous systems. Given that the origins of orofacial pain can be numerous and varied, a thorough assessment of the situation is necessary to enable the most appropriate diagnostic pathway to achieve optimal clinical and therapeutic management.In this Research Topic, we are looking for thoughtful and well-written manuscripts that address various aspects of the association between the nervous system and the stomatognathic system, considering the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of orofacial pain conditions.