Table 1.

 Common conditions that are usually easy to distinguish from trigeminal neuralgia

Diagnosis	Important features
Dental infection or cracked tooth	Well localised to tooth; local swelling and erythema; appropriate findings on dental examination
Temporomandibular joint pain	Often bilateral and may radiate around ear and to neck and temples; jaw opening may be limited and can produce an audible click
Persistent idiopathic facial pain (previously “atypical facial pain”)4	Often bilateral and may extend out of trigeminal territory; pain often continuous, mild to moderate in severity, and aching or throbbing in character
Migraine	Often preceded by aura; severe unilateral headache often associated with nausea, photophobia, phonophobia, and neck stiffness
Temporal arteritis	Common in elderly people; temporal pain should be constant and often associated with jaw claudication, fever, and weight loss; temporal arteries may be firm, tender, and non-pulsatile on examination