About

Sowmya Ananthan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Diagnostic Sciences at Rutgers School of Dental Medicine. Her research focuses on the relationship between sleep and pain, as well as exploring novel therapeutic modalities such as topical medications for the treatment of neuropathic pain and new injection techniques like the twin nerve block. Her work includes evaluating the efficacy of dexamethasone injections for managing trigeminal neuropathy secondary to traumatic neuroma formation, and assessing dental students’ knowledge of temporomandibular disorders and orofacial pain. She has contributed to the understanding of sensory and proprioceptive responses around dental implants and natural teeth, and has investigated the therapeutic effects of various injection techniques for temporomandibular joint dysfunction and myofascial pain. Dr. Ananthan has authored multiple publications in the field of orofacial pain and neuropathic conditions, advancing clinical approaches and treatment strategies in dental medicine.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Surgery
• Orthodontics
• Pathology
• Physical therapy
• Anatomy
• Psychiatry
• Dentistry
• Structural engineering
• Engineering
• Psychology

Selected publications

• Use of low-dose naltrexone in the management of posttraumatic trigeminal neuropathic pain: a retrospective case series.

  PubMed · 2025-09-18

  article1st authorCorresponding

  OBJECTIVE: Dental practitioners provide treatment of anatomical structures innervated by the trigeminal system, such as the teeth and gingiva, which can be subject to injury even following routine and well-performed dental procedures. As a result, the dental clinician is often presented with patients with neuropathic pain or unusual sensory distortions. In addition, the dental clinician treats patients following facial and oral trauma which may result in chronic pain. Therefore, recognition of posttraumatic trigeminal neuropathic pain (PTTNP) and its management must be considered essential for the dental clinician. Painful neuropathies, including PTTNP, can present as a debilitating form of neuropathic pain that often defies treatment normally effective for other types of somatic pain disorders. Treatment of PTTNP typically involves the use of various classes of medications including antiseizure medications and tricyclic antidepressants. Many patients suffering with PTTNP may have contraindications for these medications due to comorbidities, occupational responsibilities, or medication side effects. An alternative to antiseizure medications and tricyclic antidepressants is the use of low-dose naltrexone. METHOD AND MATERIALS: This study is a retrospective extended case series of patients with PTTNP. The records of 21 patients diagnosed with painful PTTNP at the Center for Temporomandibular Disorders and Orofacial Pain of the Rutgers School of Dental Medicine were analyzed. They met the criteria of PTTNP according to the International Classification of Orofacial Pain and were prescribed low-dose naltrexone. Though a total of 21 patients were included, 12 with all the data present were included in the final analysis. The sex distribution was equal, with six women and six men, with a combined average age of 59.33 ± 13.96 years. RESULTS: Low-dose naltrexone significantly reduced the patients' report of pain using visual analog scale (VAS) 0 to 10 subjective pain ratings at the follow-up visits compared to the initial VAS. Interestingly, the small group of patients who used low-dose naltrexone in combination with serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, demonstrated a lower average VAS score at the first follow-up visit, compared to those who took low-dose naltrexone with other medications. There were no significant side effects reported by the patients. No adverse effects of low-dose naltrexone therapy were reported. Side effects of the medication are rare and, as reported the literature, include mild abdominal distress or vivid dreams. None were reported among this group of subjects. CONCLUSION: Based on this retrospective extended case series, low-dose naltrexone appears to be a safe and effective medication for use in chronic PTTNP. These results highlight the need for future studies to elucidate low-dose naltrexone's analgesic mechanism of action and to decisively demonstrate the analgesic effect of low-dose naltrexone in larger cohorts using randomized, double blinded, placebo-controlled clinical studies. (Quintessence Int 2025;56:682-690; doi: 10.3290/j.qi.b6335903).

  PublisherDOI

• Safety, efficacy, and mechanism of action of the temporo-masseteric nerve block

  Journal of Oral & Facial Pain and Headache · 2024-01-01

  articleOpen access

  The objective of the study was to assess the utility and safety of Temporo-masseteric Nerve Block (TMNB), and to explore the mechanism for its apparent sustained pain relief. This manuscript describes, (1) a retrospective study evaluating pain reduction in patients who received the TMNB injection for the management of masticatory myogeneous pain (myalgia, per Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (DC/TMD criteria)), and (2) a motor nerve conduction study (NCS) of the temporalis and masseter, performed in the absence of signs or symptoms of TMD, before and after the TMNB injection. The results were as follows. (1) Retrospective study: (n = 186). 52 instances had available baseline and post-TMNB Numerical Pain Rating Scores (NRS) scores, the TMNB injection reduced baseline NRS scores by 70%; pain difference was qualitatively documented in 90 instances (pain relief or improvement in 86/90 instances). 4 instances yielded no pain relief. Mild adverse events recorded included a vasovagal episode (n = 1), transient weakening of blink (n = 2) or burning sensation (n = 1). (2) The Motor NCS demonstrated impairment of the compound-motor-action-potential (CMAP) as recorded from temporalis and masseter muscles following the TMNB injection. In conclusion, the TMNB injection is efficacious and safe. Further studies are warranted to warrant its effectiveness.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Systemic Factors Affecting Pain Management in Dentistry

  Dental Clinics of North America · 2024-08-08 · 4 citations

  review
  PublisherDOI

• Comparison of three methods for treatment of temporomandibular disorders

  http://isrctn.com/ · 2024-11-13

  datasetSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• Myofascial Temporomandibular Disorders at a Turning Point

  Dental Clinics of North America · 2023 · 7 citations

  • Orthodontics
  • Medicine
  • Physical therapy
  PublisherDOI

• Biomechanics and Derangements of the Temporomandibular Joint

  Dental Clinics of North America · 2023 · 20 citations

  1st authorCorresponding
  • Orthodontics
  • Medicine
  • Anatomy
  PublisherDOI

• A rare case of vestibular schwannoma manifesting as trigeminal neuralgia

  The Journal of the American Dental Association · 2023-11-29 · 4 citations

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Pragmatic management of myogenous temporomandibular disorder—a narrative review

  Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Anesthesia · 2022-12-01 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Background and Objective: Chronic pain is recognized as a disease state. Not understanding a complex chronic pain entity runs the risk of suboptimal diagnosis and management. The resulting undertreatment may exacerbate or perpetuate the state of chronic pain. Myofascial masticatory pain may well be one such entity. Several hypotheses implicate both local tissue pathology and central sensitization to play a role individually, or concomitantly. This narrative review aims to underscore three key factors that undermine the current management of masticatory myofascial pain—a lack of understanding of disease pathogenesis, its complex clinical heterogeneity, and the subjectivity in determining the choice of intervention. Methods: This non-systematic narrative review abstracts contemporary (up to 2022) literature on masticatory myofascial temporomandibular disorders (mTMD) pathophysiology and management published in PubMed database. Key Content and Findings: Currently, the choice of intervention in mTMD is primarily driven by the clinician’s expertise and subjective preferences. This manuscript briefly reviews current therapeutic options in mTMD. It summarizes emerging data supporting using the Temporo-masseteric Nerve Block (TMNB) as a diagnostic and therapeutic measure in its management. Conclusions: The TMNB injection holds promise as a means for diagnostic triage and therapeutic intervention in the management of mTMD. Until a more objective and quantitative diagnostic measure/s-based definition of mTMD has been identified that can, in turn, dictate targeted therapeutic intervention/s, clinicians managing mTMD may benefit from using the TMNB injection to gauge response and escalate care accordingly, Future research is warranted to validate its utility in the pragmatic management of mTMD and in identifying the need for multi-disciplinary patient management.

  PublisherDOI

• Use of injection techniques in orofacial pain emergencies: a narrative review

  Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Anesthesia · 2022-09-01 · 1 citations

  reviewOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Background & Objective: Orofacial pain is the branch of dentistry that deals with non-odontogenic sources of pain in the head and neck area. It is the newest recognized specialty of dentistry. Urgent situations can and do occur in an orofacial pain setting. The objective of this review is to describe the various orofacial pain emergencies and describe injection techniques to manage them until definitive treatment can be instituted. Methods: The International Classification of Orofacial Pain guidelines were used and based on the extensive clinical experience of the authors, the commonly presenting orofacial pain emergencies were included in this narrative review. A PubMed search was done to gather the data. Key Content & Findings: Emergency conditions from temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) such as acute disc displacement without reduction, muscle spasm, acute primary myofascial pain, neuropathic orofacial pain disorders such as trigeminal neuralgia (TN), post-traumatic trigeminal neuropathic pain (PTNP), neurovascular disorders such as migraine and cluster headaches are presented along the relevant management injection techniques. Conclusions: This narrative summarizes the various emergency orofacial pain presentations and injection techniques for immediate management of the same.

  PublisherDOI

• Musculoskeletal disorders and orofacial pain: a narrative review

  Frontiers of Oral and Maxillofacial Medicine · 2022-11-24 · 5 citations

  reviewOpen access

  Background and Objective: Musculoskeletal disorders comprise the largest subset of chronic pain conditions, contributing to great disability, lost productivity and increased utilization of healthcare services.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Gary Heir

  10 shared

• Eli Eliav

  Eastman Chemical Company (United States)

  7 shared

• Julyana Gomes Zagury

  Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

  7 shared

• Samuel Y.P. Quek

  7 shared

• Cibele Nasri‐Heir

  6 shared

• Mythili Kalladka

  Eastman Chemical Company (United States)

  6 shared

• Junad Khan

  Eastman Chemical Company (United States)

  5 shared

• Rafael Benoliel

  Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

  5 shared

Labs

• Rutgers School of Dental Medicine - Sowmya Ananthan LabPI

Education

• DMD, MSD, Diagnostic Sciences

  Rutgers School of Dental Medicine

  2010