If you have suffered a facial injury that has caused damage to the trigeminal nerve (TN), you are most likely experiencing a great deal of discomfort and unusual sensations in your facial areas and scalp. In some more severe facial injuries, tooth and gum damage in addition to that of the TN may also be present. Find out more about some of the treatments you may require after sustaining a facial injury.

What Does The Trigeminal Nerve Do?

The TN, also referred to as the 5th cranial nerve, plays a huge role as a sensory nerve. The sensations you feel in your face and entire head are relayed through the TN to your brain. In the event the TN is damaged, whether the injury was caused by oral surgery or from a head injury sustained in a car accident, the sensory loss and pain can be the same. Many patients have sustained severe damage to their gums and to the tooth pulp in a car accident in addition to TN damage. For injuries to tooth pulp, a root canal procedure, performed by an endodontic dental professional, is the most common option. However, if the TN is also damaged, you may require other types of surgical procedures performed, some of which your dental professional can explain in further detail.

What About A Root Canal?

If you are suffering from TN damage, the pain you may be experiencing is more than likely a lot worse than that most people mentally associate with a root canal. If your endodontic dental professional has decided you need a root canal and you have existing TN damage, you should know the root canal will not provide relief for the damaged TN. However, the injuries you may have suffered to your tooth pulp will be repaired, providing you that much less pain and suffering.

Will An Endodontic Dental Professional Perform The Surgery For TN Damage?

The dental professional performing your root canal will probably refer you to another type of medical professional for TN treatment and for learning more about surgical intervention for TN damage. Many people end up at their dentist mistakenly assuming the severe pain they feel in their jaw is caused by an abscessed tooth when it is actually coming from the TN. Your endodontic dental professional will not be shocked in any way if you make this same mistake.

Does Facial Injury Always Cause Tooth And TN Damage?

Not every facial injury causes damage to the TN or to the teeth. However, in some more severe injuries, a person may experience both types of injuries. In the event you have sustained an injury to your face, bear in mind that TN damage has been claimed to be one of the most excruciating painful injuries known to exist. If your facial pain is severe and extremely intense, discussing with a medical or dental professional about the possibility of TN damage is vital to your experiencing relief.

Share