TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA - A RETROSPECTIVE SURVEY OF A SAMPLE OF PATIENTSIN SINGAPORE AND MALAYSIA

This survey was undertaken to study the clinical features of trigemina l neuralgia in an Asian population. Demographic data of 44 patients tr eated at the Dental Faculty of the National University of Singapore an d at the University of Malaya were reviewed. The results of the survey were analysed and comparisons made with those of Caucasian patients a s reported in other studies where there was a general similarity in th e clinical findings. Trigeminal neuralgia presented predominantly in f emales. Right-sided involvement occurred at a greater frequency, and t he peak age at onset was between the sixth and seventh decades of life . The only significant variant in the present sample was the greater i nvolvement of the mandibular branch of the trigeminal nerve rather tha n the maxillary division. In addition, there was a much greater repres entation from Chinese patients over Malays as compared with their rati os in the general population.