Differential diagnosis of orofacial pain is crucial, as
the course of each process and its clinical management
varies markedly. A case is illustrated here of trigeminal
neuralgia in a 49-year-old Indian female whose
complaint was initially diagnosed as dental pain
leading to sequential extractions of her right
mandibular and maxillary molars but with no pain
abatement. Subsequent neurological assessment
diagnosed her complaint as trigeminal neuralgia but
pain remained poorly controlled even with high doses
of carbamazepine and gabapentin. A dental referral and
orthopantomographic examination revealed multifocal
sclerotic masses in her jaws, suggestive of florid
cemento-osseous dysplasia (FCOD). Right mandibular
incisional biopsy confirmed the diagnosis. A decision
was made to curette the right mandibular masses and
lateralised the right inferior dental nerve. Follow-up
disclosed considerable pain reduction. This case raises
the issue as to whether the sclerotic bone masses in
FCOD may have caused nerve compression which
aggravated her neuralgic pain.