{"id":12306,"date":"2026-03-04T10:40:20","date_gmt":"2026-03-04T10:40:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/?p=12306"},"modified":"2026-03-30T18:12:42","modified_gmt":"2026-03-30T18:12:42","slug":"the-pattern-beneath-the-pain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/the-pattern-beneath-the-pain\/","title":{"rendered":"The pattern beneath the pain: Treating chronic orofacial discomfort"},"content":{"rendered":"

One orofacial pain specialist is helping patients and students connect what others miss \u2014 that chronic pain, like a tangled thread, requires time, skill and compassion to unravel<\/em><\/span><\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

When Linda Bonnet first met Sovna Shivani Mishra, BDS, MDS<\/a>, a clinical assistant professor at the School of Dentistry<\/a>, she felt something she hadn\u2019t in years: She felt understood.<\/p>\n

For more than a decade, Bonnet has lived with persistent pain from a temporomandibular disorder, or TMD, a condition that affects the jaw joint and surrounding muscles.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not only my jaw,\u201d she said. \u201cThe pain radiates up my neck, across the upper back, into terrible headaches \u2014 it affects the whole upper part of my body.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her journey to relief has been long and often frustrating. She had seen more than 20 healthcare providers since 2014. Many recommended surgery to break and reconstruct her jaw.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen came Dr. Mishra,\u201d Bonnet said.<\/p>\n

Between dentistry and medicine <\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

Mishra is a rising leader in the emerging specialties of orofacial pain and dental sleep medicine. Since joining the school last fall, where she also provides care at UT Dentistry\u2019s Oral Medicine Clinic<\/a>, Mishra has worked to elevate both dental education and patient care while demonstrating that dental health extends far past teeth and gums.<\/p>\n

\u201cTMD and sleep-related disorders not only cause discomfort, but also disrupt lives,\u201d Mishra said. \u201cThese are chronic pain conditions. They require empathy, education and a treatment plan that addresses the whole person.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Orofacial pain refers to pain felt in the mouth, jaw, face, head and neck. It can stem from the jaw joint itself, surrounding muscles, nerves or even referred pain from other parts of the body. Conditions like TMD, certain types of headaches and nerve pain and stress-related pain often fall under this category \u2014 and they are frequently misunderstood or misdiagnosed, noted Mishra.<\/p>\n

Dental sleep medicine focuses on the dental treatment of sleep-disordered breathing, including obstructive sleep apnea and sleep bruxism, or the act of teeth grinding and clenching during sleep. Dentists trained in this area look for physical issues that can make breathing harder during sleep \u2014 such as enlarged tonsils, a narrow airway or jaw alignment issues \u2014 and offer non-surgical treatments, including custom-fitted dental appliances designed to move the jaw in a position that keeps the airway open and reduces nighttime symptoms.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese are areas where dentistry and medicine intersect,\u201d Mishra said. \u201cA dentist may be the first to recognize signs of a serious sleep issue during a routine exam. They can educate their patients and refer them to a physician. That\u2019s why awareness, screening and interdisciplinary collaboration are so critical.\u201d<\/p>\n

Unlike more routine dental conditions, TMD and other sleep-related disorders often overlap with other health concerns, including neck tension, migraines, anxiety, insomnia and even cardiovascular issues.<\/p>\n

Mishra trains dental students to recognize these broader health indicators, teaching them to ask about sleep quality, jaw clenching and pain patterns during patient visits. It\u2019s a shift from reactive to proactive care and from siloed specialties to collaborative solutions.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe field is young,\u201d Mishra said. \u201cOrofacial pain only became a recognized dental specialty five years ago. And dental sleep medicine is still growing. But these are essential areas where dentists and physicians must work together.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mishra is laying the groundwork to build just that kind of integrated care at UT Health San Antonio \u2014 offering patients a more comprehensive, thoughtful and empathetic path to pain relief.<\/p>\n

Finding relief <\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n
\"\"
Shivani Mishra, BDS, MS, evaluates patient Linda Bonnet during a visit focused on assessing and treating her orofacial pain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cIt was phenomenal,\u201d Bonnet shared. \u201cIt was the first time in years I felt someone truly understood what I was going through \u2014 the trauma, the chronic pain, the reality of living with something that doesn\u2019t have a permanent fix.\u201d<\/p>\n

What struck her most was the way Mishra approached care: not as a clinical checklist, but as a relationship rooted in respect, compassion and whole-body understanding.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe goes above and beyond the standard protocol,\u201d Bonnet said. \u201cShe tailors treatment to the person in front of her. That\u2019s what makes her care so exceptional. It’s focused, individualized and deeply personal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mishra recommended a new, better-fitting and balanced bite guard for Bonnet and provided gentle jaw exercises to help her manage flare-ups. Bonnet continues to use these conservative strategies and physical therapy techniques to cope with her pain. But according to her, the biggest difference isn\u2019t physical.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t feel lost anymore,\u201d Bonnet said. \u201cI\u2019m seen. I feel less fear knowing that if I get into trouble, I have someone I can call.\u201d<\/p>\n

The next generation <\/strong><\/p>\n

Mishra brings that same philosophy to her students. She teaches first-year dental students the foundational anatomy of the jaw, head and neck, often expanding their understanding beyond traditional textbooks.<\/p>\n

\u201cI show them what normal anatomy looks like, so they can better spot abnormalities,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

By their third year, students are applying that knowledge to real-world patient scenarios. Mishra creates mock case studies to help them practice clinical reasoning, encouraging them to recognize subtle symptoms and ask the right questions \u2014 questions most patients don\u2019t expect from a dentist.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a component of the comprehensive evaluation, we screen for patients who may have underlying disorders. We\u2019ll ask if they frequently wake at night, experience choking or gasping episodes, feel drowsy during the day or have ever fallen asleep during a meeting,\u201d Mishra said.<\/p>\n

This extensive medical history questionnaire is central to her clinical teaching and something she uses with every new patient. Questions cover more than sleep quality; Mishra inquires about recent stressors, past trauma, other coexisting chronic pain conditions, psychosocial status of the patient,\u00a0 pain coping mechanisms, impact of pain on daily activities and more. These questions are essential, she said, because pain is rarely isolated \u2014 especially in chronic cases.<\/p>\n

\u201cPatients don\u2019t always know what\u2019s relevant to tell their dentist,\u201d she explained. \u201cThey might not think to mention sleep disturbances, headaches or a history of anxiety. But all of those factors could be connected to the pain they\u2019re experiencing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mishra teaches students to view this history as a window into the patient\u2019s lived experience. The goal is not only to identify symptoms, but also to build trust, validate the patient\u2019s story and design treatment with a clear understanding of the person in front of them.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery dentist will encounter a patient with orofacial pain,\u201d Mishra said. \u201cMy goal is to make sure they\u2019re ready to recognize it and equipped to respond with skill and empathy.\u201d<\/p>\n

A better path forward <\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

As the School of Dentistry continues to grow in recognition \u2014 including being ranked the No. 1 dental school in Texas and consistently ranked among the top in the nation for National Institutes of Health funding \u2014 Mishra\u2019s presence is helping expand the definition of what modern dentistry can offer.<\/p>\n

She envisions a future where orofacial pain education and research are embedded into the core of dental training, including her dream of creating a formal residency program in the specialty at the university. Such a program would serve as a pipeline for future experts and help establish the institution as a national leader in the diagnosis and management of complex pain conditions through dentistry.<\/p>\n

Mishra\u2019s vision aligns with the institution\u2019s evolving culture of medical\u2013dental collaboration. At the clinic level, she\u2019s already building bridges to work closely with sleep physicians, physical therapists, psychologists, and ear, nose and throat specialists and primary care teams to deliver comprehensive care. And university-wide, she is part of a broader movement to integrate health professions education across disciplines.<\/p>\n

Her efforts are also supported by Kenneth Hargreaves, DDS, PhD<\/a>, a globally recognized expert in pain research who was named dean of the School of Dentistry in May 2025. As director of the school\u2019s Center for Pain Therapeutics and Addiction Research<\/a>, Hargreaves champions a research culture focused on translational breakthroughs in pain relief and human health. He notes the need for empathy and a holistic approach to treating patients for pain and sleep disorders and suggests that progress is already visible in the kind of care being delivered \u2014 care that listens, adapts and affirms.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur dental school has decades of expertise in unraveling the mechanisms of acute and chronic pain and in developing novel therapeutic approaches to treat it. With the critical arrival of Dr. Mishra, we now are expanding our clinical expertise to fulfill our mission to make lives, and smiles, better,\u201d said Hargreaves.<\/p>\n

For Bonnet, her trust as a patient is about being seen and heard.<\/p>\n

\u201cDr. Mishra is a rare kind of provider. She doesn\u2019t see symptoms \u2014 she sees the person behind it all, and that changes everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

Rethinking TMD<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

What that jaw pain really means<\/em><\/p>\n

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are complex, often chronic conditions that affect millions \u2014 and they\u2019re frequently misunderstood. These quick facts provided by Sovna Shivani Mishra, BDS, MDS<\/a>, a clinical assistant professor at the School of Dentistry<\/a>, help set the record straight.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Myth<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Fact<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

I have TMJ.<\/span><\/td>\nEveryone has two temporomandibular joints, which connect your lower jaw to your skull on either side. What people mean is they have TMD<\/em>, which affects how the jaw functions and feels.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
TMD only causes jaw pain or clicking.<\/span><\/td>\nTMD can also cause headaches, earaches, neck and shoulder pain, and can even contribute to sleep disturbances.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Only stress or clenching causes TMD.<\/span><\/td>\nWhile stress and clenching can be factors, TMD can also result from muscle imbalances, joint disorders, trauma or other chronic pain conditions.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
A night guard will fix any TMD issue.<\/span><\/td>\nNight guards are one tool but not a cure-all. Effective treatment is personalized and may include self-management strategies, physical therapy, behavior management, medication or other therapies.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
You can only treat TMD with surgery.<\/span><\/td>\nMost TMD cases improve with conservative, non-invasive treatments. Surgery is rarely the first option.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
TMD is a dental problem, not a medical one.<\/span><\/td>\nTMD exists at the intersection of dentistry and medicine. Collaborative care \u2014 involving dentists, physical therapists, psychologists and physicians \u2014 is often essential.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
TMD pain means something is structurally wrong with the jaw.<\/span><\/td>\nNot necessarily. Chronic pain doesn\u2019t always match tissue damage. The brain and nervous system play a big role in how pain is perceived and processed.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Temporomandibular disorders cause discomfort and disrupt lives. These chronic pain conditions require empathy, education and a treatment plan. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":599,"featured_media":12611,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[298,302],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[291],"class_list":["post-12306","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-winter-2025-2026","category-featured-in-print"],"yoast_head":"\nThe pattern beneath the pain: Treating chronic orofacial discomfort - Mission Magazine<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Temporomandibular disorders not only cause discomfort but can also disrupt lives. One orofacial pain specialist at UT Health San Antonio is helping patients and students understand that these chronic pain conditions require empathy, education and a treatment plan.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/the-pattern-beneath-the-pain\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The pattern beneath the pain: Treating chronic orofacial discomfort - Mission Magazine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Temporomandibular disorders not only cause discomfort but can also disrupt lives. One orofacial pain specialist at UT Health San Antonio is helping patients and students understand that these chronic pain conditions require empathy, education and a treatment plan.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/the-pattern-beneath-the-pain\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Mission Magazine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-03-04T10:40:20+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-30T18:12:42+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/oralfacial-fallback.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1124\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"624\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Kristen Zapata\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Kristen Zapata\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\\\/mission\\\/the-pattern-beneath-the-pain\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\\\/mission\\\/the-pattern-beneath-the-pain\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Kristen Zapata\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\\\/mission\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/44a9bc1987cc655f7a65ec3a975776c8\"},\"headline\":\"The pattern beneath the pain: Treating chronic orofacial discomfort\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-03-04T10:40:20+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-30T18:12:42+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\\\/mission\\\/the-pattern-beneath-the-pain\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1723,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\\\/mission\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\\\/mission\\\/the-pattern-beneath-the-pain\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\\\/mission\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/20\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/oralfacial-fallback.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Winter 2025-2026\",\"Featured in print\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\\\/mission\\\/the-pattern-beneath-the-pain\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\\\/mission\\\/the-pattern-beneath-the-pain\\\/\",\"name\":\"The pattern beneath the pain: Treating chronic orofacial discomfort - Mission Magazine\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\\\/mission\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\\\/mission\\\/the-pattern-beneath-the-pain\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\\\/mission\\\/the-pattern-beneath-the-pain\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\\\/mission\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/20\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/oralfacial-fallback.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-03-04T10:40:20+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-30T18:12:42+00:00\",\"description\":\"Temporomandibular disorders not only cause discomfort but can also disrupt lives. One orofacial pain specialist at UT Health San Antonio is helping patients and students understand that these chronic pain conditions require empathy, education and a treatment plan.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\\\/mission\\\/the-pattern-beneath-the-pain\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\\\/mission\\\/the-pattern-beneath-the-pain\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\\\/mission\\\/the-pattern-beneath-the-pain\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\\\/mission\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/20\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/oralfacial-fallback.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\\\/mission\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/20\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/oralfacial-fallback.jpg\",\"width\":1124,\"height\":624,\"caption\":\"Screenshot\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\\\/mission\\\/the-pattern-beneath-the-pain\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\\\/mission\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"The pattern beneath the pain: Treating chronic orofacial discomfort\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\\\/mission\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\\\/mission\\\/\",\"name\":\"Mission Magazine\",\"description\":\"The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Mission magazine\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\\\/mission\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\\\/mission\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\\\/mission\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Mission Magazine\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\\\/mission\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\\\/mission\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\\\/mission\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/20\\\/2024\\\/10\\\/UTHSA_logo_H_CMYK-350.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\\\/mission\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/20\\\/2024\\\/10\\\/UTHSA_logo_H_CMYK-350.jpg\",\"width\":350,\"height\":121,\"caption\":\"Mission Magazine\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\\\/mission\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\\\/mission\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/44a9bc1987cc655f7a65ec3a975776c8\",\"name\":\"Kristen Zapata\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\\\/mission\\\/author\\\/zapatak\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The pattern beneath the pain: Treating chronic orofacial discomfort - Mission Magazine","description":"Temporomandibular disorders not only cause discomfort but can also disrupt lives. One orofacial pain specialist at UT Health San Antonio is helping patients and students understand that these chronic pain conditions require empathy, education and a treatment plan.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/the-pattern-beneath-the-pain\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The pattern beneath the pain: Treating chronic orofacial discomfort - Mission Magazine","og_description":"Temporomandibular disorders not only cause discomfort but can also disrupt lives. One orofacial pain specialist at UT Health San Antonio is helping patients and students understand that these chronic pain conditions require empathy, education and a treatment plan.","og_url":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/the-pattern-beneath-the-pain\/","og_site_name":"Mission Magazine","article_published_time":"2026-03-04T10:40:20+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-03-30T18:12:42+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1124,"height":624,"url":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/oralfacial-fallback.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Kristen Zapata","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Kristen Zapata","Est. reading time":"8 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/the-pattern-beneath-the-pain\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/the-pattern-beneath-the-pain\/"},"author":{"name":"Kristen Zapata","@id":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/#\/schema\/person\/44a9bc1987cc655f7a65ec3a975776c8"},"headline":"The pattern beneath the pain: Treating chronic orofacial discomfort","datePublished":"2026-03-04T10:40:20+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-30T18:12:42+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/the-pattern-beneath-the-pain\/"},"wordCount":1723,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/the-pattern-beneath-the-pain\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/oralfacial-fallback.jpg","articleSection":["Winter 2025-2026","Featured in print"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/the-pattern-beneath-the-pain\/","url":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/the-pattern-beneath-the-pain\/","name":"The pattern beneath the pain: Treating chronic orofacial discomfort - Mission Magazine","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/the-pattern-beneath-the-pain\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/the-pattern-beneath-the-pain\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/oralfacial-fallback.jpg","datePublished":"2026-03-04T10:40:20+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-30T18:12:42+00:00","description":"Temporomandibular disorders not only cause discomfort but can also disrupt lives. One orofacial pain specialist at UT Health San Antonio is helping patients and students understand that these chronic pain conditions require empathy, education and a treatment plan.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/the-pattern-beneath-the-pain\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/the-pattern-beneath-the-pain\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/the-pattern-beneath-the-pain\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/oralfacial-fallback.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/03\/oralfacial-fallback.jpg","width":1124,"height":624,"caption":"Screenshot"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/the-pattern-beneath-the-pain\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The pattern beneath the pain: Treating chronic orofacial discomfort"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/#website","url":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/","name":"Mission Magazine","description":"The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Mission magazine","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/#organization","name":"Mission Magazine","url":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/10\/UTHSA_logo_H_CMYK-350.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2024\/10\/UTHSA_logo_H_CMYK-350.jpg","width":350,"height":121,"caption":"Mission Magazine"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/#\/schema\/person\/44a9bc1987cc655f7a65ec3a975776c8","name":"Kristen Zapata","url":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/author\/zapatak\/"}]}},"authors":[{"term_id":291,"user_id":599,"is_guest":0,"slug":"zapatak","display_name":"Kristen Zapata","avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e7e66cfb7f478b8eb1b9a0b3ede036266c5652764fe952d11b1374ef2049c9e7?s=96&d=mm&r=g","0":null,"1":"","2":"","3":"","4":"","5":"","6":"","7":"","8":""}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12306","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/599"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12306"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12306\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12611"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12306"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12306"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12306"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/mission\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=12306"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}