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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Asian J Neurosurg 2023; 18(03): 528-532
DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1771368
Original Article

Questionnaire for Dental Practitioners to Screen for Trigeminal Neuralgia

Authors

  • Fuminari Komatsu 

    1   Department of Neurosurgery, Fujita Health University Bantane Hospital, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan

  • Kento Sasaki 

    1   Department of Neurosurgery, Fujita Health University Bantane Hospital, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan

  • Riki Tanaka

    1   Department of Neurosurgery, Fujita Health University Bantane Hospital, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan

  • Kyosuke Miyatani

    1   Department of Neurosurgery, Fujita Health University Bantane Hospital, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan

  • Yasuhiro Yamada

    1   Department of Neurosurgery, Fujita Health University Bantane Hospital, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan

  • Yoko Kato

    1   Department of Neurosurgery, Fujita Health University Bantane Hospital, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan

  • Yuichi Hirose

    2   Department of Neurosurgery, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan
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Abstract

Objective Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a neurological disorder that often presents as severe toothache. The majority of TN patients visit dental clinics first, so TN represents a potential pitfall for dental practitioners. This report describes the development of a trigeminal neuralgia questionnaire (TNQ), assessing 10 characteristics of TN, to assist dentists in screening for TN in dental clinics, and evaluates the effectiveness of TNQ.

Materials and Methods Fifty-three patients who visited the TN outpatient department in our institute and completed the TNQ were included in this study. All patients were examined by two neurosurgeons and neuroimaging was performed.

Statistical Analysis Patients were classified into a TN group and a non-TN group. TNQ score was retrospectively compared between groups. Furthermore, history and characteristics of TN were investigated in the TN group to clarify the status of the reference situation.

Results Thirty-seven cases were assigned to the TN group, and 16 cases to the non-TN group. Mean TNQ score was 8.3 in the TN group and 6.6 in the non-TN group. Setting a TNQ cutoff score of 7 offered 91% sensitivity and 56% specificity for TN. Investigation of the history of the present illness indicated that 39.2% of TN cases were improperly triaged and referred from initial dental clinics, and interdisciplinary practice was insufficient.

Conclusion TNQ offers a reliable, convenient method to triage TN patients, and may assist dentists in screening for TN. Multidisciplinary practice is necessary for total management of TN and the TNQ is expected to connect dentists and TN specialists.

Keywords

dentist - endoscopy - microvascular decompression - screening test - trigeminal neuralgia

Author's Contributions

Fuminari Komatsu provided the idea, designed the study, wrote the manuscript, performed statistical evaluation, and contributed substantially to discussion. Kento Sasaki, Kyosuke Miyatani, Riki Tanak, and Yasuhiro Yamada helped in data collection. Yoko Kato and Yuichi Hirose proofread the manuscript and contributed substantially to discussion.


Ethical Approval

The institutional ethics committee approved this study (No. HM18–447). The study was conducted in accordance with the guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki.




Publication History

Article published online:
22 September 2023

© 2023. Asian Congress of Neurological Surgeons. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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