Pregabalin and Orofacial Neuropathic Pain

The purpose of this study is to determine whether pregabalin can decrease pain and improve quality of life in patients who have nerve pain on the mouth or the face

Neuropathic pain (NP) is defined as pain initiated or caused by a primary lesion or dysfunction in the nervous system. At the trigeminal area where somatosensory nerves are often damaged during dental /maxillofacial interventions, post-operative orofacial neuropathic pain (OFNP) estimated treated prevalence/incidence rates were \~3-12%, with 83% of patients reporting that OFNP started with a dental treatment. Although OFNP is a burden for the society, and a major cause of chronic distress, disability and expenditure of medical resources, clinical trials that assess efficacy of its treatment are scarce. Until today, treatments of OFNP are extrapolated from those issued for neuropathic pain in other body sites. This clinical trial will be the first to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerance of pregabalin in the treatment of OFNP. Based on the results obtained for neuropathic pain on non trigeminal areas, we expect to see positive results, and to provide evidence for effective management of OFNP with an anticonvulsant such as pregabalin.