Sanner F, Sonntag D, Hambrock N, Zehnder M. Patients with persistent idiopathic dentoalveolar pain in dental practice. Int Endod J 2021; doi: 10.1111/iej.13664. Online ahead of print.

PIDAP mainly affected female patients and was associated with undisturbed sleep as well as periodontal allodynia.

This observational study assessed whether persistent idiopathic dentoalveolar pain (PIDAP), a diagnosis of exclusion, exhibits common features that can facilitate its diagnosis. Participants fulfilling the new International Classification of Orofacial Pain diagnostic criteria of PIDAP were included. Among the 160 patients assessed, 78 (63 women) fulfilled the strict PIDAP criteria. Pain history of PIDAP included no nocturnal awakening (85%) and a 'pulling/dragging' pain quality (59%). In 69% of the patients with PIDAP, pain was associated with a root-filled tooth at the same site. In 14% of the cases, no endodontic treatment was performed in the affected quadrant. Mechanical allodynia in the gingival sulcus was observed in 90% of patients with painful teeth or implants.