Papers of the Week

Orofacial pain is comprised of three distinct components: sensory, perception, and experience or memory. Each of these components is associated with its own specific brain circuit, thereby classifying orofacial pain into three distinct circuits: “peripheral pain,” “brain network pain,” and “memorized pain.” Individuals afflicted with chronic orofacial pain of unknown etiology exhibit characteristics indicative of both brain network pain and memorized pain, necessitating a biopsychosocial approach that takes into account psychosocial factors in addition to the sensory aspects of pain.