A 61-year-old woman presented to her general dentist with a complaint of pain associated
with the maxillary left first premolar. The patient described a sharp, lancinating
pain that was triggered by stimulation of the tooth in question. She also reported
2 specific episodes in which she experienced severe, shooting electrical shock-like
pain followed by a hot sensation in the same area. One of these episodes was triggered
by a cool breeze on her face and the other occurred while washing her face. Examination
and radiographic assessment revealed a periapical osseous lesion resulting in a diagnosis
of acute apical periodontitis. Nonsurgical endodontics was completed with no undue
effects.
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Article info
Footnotes
Address correspondence to Judith A Paice, PhD, RN, Editor, Case Reviews in Pain; Director, Cancer Pain Program, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611-2927. E-mail: [email protected]
Identification
Copyright
© 2008 American Pain Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
