Patient Information

Division of Facial Pain

Members of the Division of Facial Pain of the Department of Orthodontics focus their clinical practice and research on the etiology, diagnosis and management of patients with facial pain. The clinical practice involves the differential diagnosis of a variety of sources of facial pain including:

Musculoskeletal (temporomandibular disorders or TMD and cervical muscle sources)
Odontogenic (tooth)
Vascular (migraine)
Neuropathic (nerve related)
Otolaryngologic (sinus) and headaches

How to Become a Patient

Due to limited resources, this division can treat only a small portion of patients with these disorders. When possible, patients we cannot treat will be referred to the appropriate medical specialty. Potential patients will be mailed a new patient packet with approximately ten pages of information that the patient will fill out and mail back so the facial pain specialists can review the case. Patients may also be referred by their doctors, but will still need to fill out the new patient packet. For more information or to determine whether we can treat you, call 352-273-7619.

Faculty

Charles Widmer, D.D.S., M.S.

Associate Professor
Division Head

Dr. Widmer received his D.D.S. from Emory University in 1981 and an M.S. degree in Oral Sciences from SUNY/Buffalo in 1983. He was recruited to Emory University School of Dentistry as an Assistant Professor in 1983 and was appointed Director of the Facial Pain Clinic in 1984 until the closure of Emory University School of Dentistry in 1991. Dr. Widmer subsequently accepted a position at the University of Florida College of Dentistry where he has continued his NIH funded research, teaching and patient care. Dr. Widmer’s clinical practice includes differential diagnosis of various facial pain conditions with a limited management focus primarily on masticatory musculoskeletal disorders. His research interests include masticatory muscle motor control mechanisms, the biological basis of masticatory muscle pain and mechanisms of masticatory muscle injury and repair.

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