Migraine is one of the most debilitating and poorly understood conditions in medicine. For patients who also suffer from orofacial pain or temporomandibular disorders, the overlap between the two conditions can be particularly confusing — and the path to effective treatment correspondingly complicated.
The Shared Mechanisms
Research increasingly supports a bidirectional relationship between orofacial pain conditions and migraine. The trigeminal nerve — the largest cranial nerve, responsible for sensation across much of the face and head — plays a central role in both. Sensitisation of the trigeminal system, which is implicated in migraine pathophysiology, can lower the threshold for orofacial pain, and vice versa. For patients with both conditions, addressing one often has a meaningful positive effect on the other.
A Multidisciplinary Approach
Effective management of the migraine-orofacial pain overlap typically requires collaboration between dental specialists with expertise in orofacial pain and medical colleagues with expertise in headache disorders. At Vere Dental, we work closely with a network of neurologists, physiotherapists, and pain specialists to ensure that patients with complex presentations receive a genuinely integrated assessment and management plan — rather than treatment of symptoms in isolation.
“Treating orofacial pain and migraine as separate problems often means treating both of them inadequately. The connection between them is the key.”
Dr. Amandine Beke
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