Orofacial pain and stylohyoid complex syndrome

In the introduction of the manuscript entitled ‘nigrostriatal dopaminergic depletion produces orofacial static mechanical allodynia’ the authors suggest that nigrostriatal dopamine depletion could cause atypical facial pain. The purpose of this letter is to underline that the stylohyoid complex syndrome (SHCS) induces a part of orofacial pain that should not be confused, as often is the case, with the atypical idiopathic orofacial pain and Dopamine depletion. The term orofacial pain refers to pain that originates from hard and soft tissues of the head and neck. It may also originate from the central nervous system or it can express a psychological disorder. A classification of orofacial pain considers the origin and the onset of pain: dental, oropharyngeal–laryngeal mucosal, neurovascular and atypical idiopathic. SHCS is a rare disease which is not well known. Unfortunately, it is underestimated and is misdiagnosed as atypical idiopathic orofacial pain.