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Neurobiological Mechanisms of Chronic Orofacial Pain

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Orofacial Pain Biomarkers

Abstract

This chapter reviews the several mechanisms in orofacial tissues and trigeminal nociceptive pathways in the brain that may account for chronic orofacial pain. Peripheral sensitization and central sensitization are particularly emphasized since they have characteristics that can explain the spontaneous nature, hyperalgesia, allodynia, and spread and referral of pain resulting from injury or inflammation of orofacial tissues and nerves. The chapter also notes several neural and non-neural modulatory factors influencing these mechanisms and their clinical implications.

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Acknowledgments

The cited research studies by the author have been supported by the US National Institutes of Health, the Canadian Institutes for Health Research, the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation, Pfizer Canada, and The Canada Research Chair program

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculties of Dentistry and Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada

    Barry J. Sessle MDS, PhD, DSc (hc), FRSC, FCAHS

  2. Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, 124 Edward Street, Toronto, ON, M5G 1G6, Canada

    Barry J. Sessle MDS, PhD, DSc (hc), FRSC, FCAHS

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  1. Barry J. Sessle MDS, PhD, DSc (hc), FRSC, FCAHS
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Correspondence to Barry J. Sessle MDS, PhD, DSc (hc), FRSC, FCAHS .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculté de médecine dentaire, Université Laval, Québec, Canada

    Jean-Paul Goulet

  2. Faculty of Dentistry, McGill University, Department of Dentistry of Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, Québec, Canada

    Ana Miriam Velly

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Sessle, B.J. (2017). Neurobiological Mechanisms of Chronic Orofacial Pain. In: Goulet, JP., Velly, A. (eds) Orofacial Pain Biomarkers. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-53994-1_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-53994-1_3

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-662-53992-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-662-53994-1

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