Treatment of common orofacial conditions.

The conditions discussed in this article are those most likely to cause a patient to seek emergency care, primarily for pain. All the characteristics given for the conditions to aid in the diagnosis do not necessarily need to be present and other characteristics not mentioned may in fact be present. A complete differential diagnosis, especially of more obscure lesions, was also not attempted. An attempt was made to provide the practitioner with enough information to develop a working diagnosis from which to alleviate the patient's discomfort. A definitive diagnosis may not be available in an emergency setting. However, it must be emphasized that the final responsibility of the dentist is to make a definitive diagnosis at a later time if one cannot be made when emergency treatment is sought. Alleviating pain without dealing with the underlying cause may be more detrimental to the patient's health in the long run, as palliative therapy may mask a more severe condition.