Orofacial Pain
Paula Barbisan’s journey to becoming a dentist was sparked in childhood by her dentist in Brazil—whose compassionate care left a lasting impression and marked the beginning of her career. After dental school and a Ph.D. program in Brazil, she moved to the U.S. in 2015. She earned her Doctor of Dental Medicine degree at Harvard School of Dental Medicine and completed a hospital-based Orofacial Pain residency at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard School of Dental Medicine. Dr. Barbisan is among a select group of dentists nationwide specializing in orofacial pain, the newest ADA-accredited specialty, and recently launched a specialized dental office focused on managing orofacial pain and sleep apnea.
Q: What is the correlation between dentistry and the conditions you treat?
A: While dental pain is the most frequent type of orofacial pain, various conditions can mimic tooth pain and lead to misdiagnosis. These include conditions like trigeminal neuralgia, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, headaches, myofascial pain, and other neuropathic pains. It’s crucial to differentiate between odontogenic (tooth-related) and non-odontogenic (not tooth-related) causes to ensure appropriate treatment and avoid unnecessary procedures.
Q: What conditions do you most commonly treat?
A: As a board-certified Orofacial Pain Specialist, I frequently see patients who struggle with chronic jaw pain (commonly known as TMJ or TMD) and report poor sleep quality. Many are surprised to learn they may also be living with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)—a condition in which the airway repeatedly collapses during sleep, reducing oxygen flow and disrupting rest.
Q: What are the implications of pain on patients’ lives?
A: Many patients come to us after seeing multiple providers without relief. Using in-house CBCT imaging, we offer personalized, non-invasive treatments—custom-fitted orthotics, laser therapy and botulinum toxin and trigger point injections— and collaborate on sleep apnea care with oral appliances and specialists, providing comprehensive solutions beyond what general dentistry typically offers.
Care TMJ & Dental Sleep Therapy
900 NW 13th St., Suite 203, Boca Raton, FL 33486
561-245-8807
caretmj.com
This post is part of the South Florida’s Medical Experts special section from the September/October 2025 issue of Boca magazine. For more like this, click here to subscribe.
