Papers of the Week

Various questionnaires have been validated as methods for screening of neuropathic pain, but none have been established for the orofacial region. Although chronic pain and depression are likely to comorbid, few studies have examined the relationship between orofacial chronic pain and depression. Therefore, we evaluated the potential of the Japanese Version of PainDETECT as an assessment tool for neuropathic pain associated with burning mouth syndrome (BMS) and persistent idiopathic facial pain (PIFP). We also evaluated the depression scale such as Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI: a subjective index) and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS: an objective index) with BMS or PIFP.