Medical Management of Oral Motor Disorders: Dystonia, Dyskinesia and Drug-Induced Dystonic Extrapyramidal Reactions

ABSTRACT

This article reviews three of the involuntary hyperkinetic motor disorders that affect the orofacial region, namely orofacial dystonia, oromandibular dyskinesia, as well as medication-induced extrapyramidal syndrome-dystonic reactions. Specifically, it discusses and contrasts the clinical features and management strategies for spontaneous primary and drug-induced motor disorders in the orofacial region. The article provides a list of medications reported to cause drug-related extrapyramidal motor activity above and beyond the more commonly known antipsychotics medications. It provides a needed update because the number and use of medications causing involuntary jaw muscle activity are increasing. For example, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), stimulant medications and illegal drugs have all been reported to induce an orofacial motor activation as adverse reactions.

This article also discusses briefly the genetic and traumatic events associated with spontaneous dystonia. Finally, this article presents an approach for management of the orofacial motor disorders that involves the following three steps: (1) collect a full clinical history and examination, including magnetic resonance imaging of the brain; (2) after ruling out CNS disease, adverse medications reactions and local pathology, try one or more of the motor-suppressive medications that may be helpful in these cases (e.g., cholinergic receptor antagonizers or blockers, and GABA-ergic including benzodiazepines); and (3) if the disorder is severe enough and focal enough to consider, and motor-suppressive medications are not adequate, then consider botulinum toxin injections. The contraindications, side effects, and usual approach for these medications and injections are discussed.

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Notes on contributors

Glenn T. Clark

Glenn T. Clark, DDS, MS, is a professor and program director, Orofacial Pain and Oral Medicine Center at the University of Southern California School of Dentistry.