Radiographic findings in subjects with facial pain and pain-free controls

Objectives: The aetiology and pathology of facial pain varies and is partly controversial. Pain can associate with temporomandibular disorders, or with other pathologic conditions in the orofacial area. Panoramic radiography is a simple, low-cost method to evaluate the bony structures of jaws. The aim of this study was to compare the findings of panoramic radiography between subjects with facial pain and non-pain controls in the population-based sample of 34-year-olds. Methods: The study was part of the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966, including subjects born in the year 1966 in Northern Finland. A subsample of the cohort was formed based on the question concerning facial pain. As part of clinical examination, a panoramic radiograph was taken from 48 subjects with facial pain and 47 pain-free controls. Pathological findings in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) area and in other structures screened by this technique were compared between the groups. Results: Overall, the majority of the subjects in both groups did not have pathological radiographic findings. The subjects with facial pain did not show significantly more pathological radiographic findings in the teeth, periodontium, maxillary sinuses, TMJs or in the other areas, compared with controls. Conclusion: Radiological panoramic findings had no association with reported facial pain in the population-based sample of young adults, and have little impact on the diagnosis of facial pain.