Treatment of non-odontogenic orofacial pain using botulinum toxin-A: a retrospective case series study

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of treatment of non-odontogenic atypical orofacial pain using botulinum toxin-A. METHODS: This study involved seven patients (seven females, mean age 65.1 years) who had non-odontogenic orofacial pain (neuropathic pain and atypical orofacial pain) and visited the Seoul National University Bundang Hospital between 2015 and 2017. All medication therapies were preceded by botulinum toxin-A injections, followed by injections in the insignificant effects of medication therapies. Five of the seven patients received intraoral injections in the gingival vestibule or mucosa, while the remaining two received extraoral injections in the masseter and temporal muscle areas. RESULTS: In five of the seven patients, pain after botulinum toxin-A injection was significantly reduced. Most of the patients who underwent surgery for dental implantation or facial nerve reconstruction recovered after injections. However, the pain did not disappear in two patients who reported experiencing persistent pain without any cause. CONCLUSIONS: The use of botulinum toxin-A for the treatment of non-odontogenic neuropathic orofacial pain is clinically useful. It is more effective to administer botulinum toxin-A in combination with other medications and physical therapy to improve pain. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1186/s40902-018-0159-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.