Panoramic findings in 34-year-old subjects with facial pain and pain-free controls.

The aim of this study was to compare panoramic radiographic findings between subjects with reported facial pain and pain-free controls in a population-based sample of 34-year olds. The study was a part of a comprehensive medical survey including subjects born in the year 1966 in Northern Finland. A sub-sample of the cohort was formed based on the question concerning facial pain. A panoramic radiograph was taken of 48 subjects with facial pain and 47 pain-free controls. Pathological findings in the dentition, jaws, maxillary sinuses and temporomandibular joints (TMJs) were compared between the groups. The majority of the subjects in both groups did not have pathological findings. Compared with controls, the subjects with facial pain did not show significantly more pathological findings in the teeth, periodontium, maxillary sinuses, TMJs or in the other areas. Radiographic panoramic findings had no association with reported facial pain in the population-based sample of young adults, and have little impact on the diagnosis of facial pain.