The trigeminal nerve carries sensory information from the face to the brain and also makes chewing possible.

Trigeminal neuralgia is a chronic pain disorder caused by dysfunction of the trigeminal nerve, the nerve that innervates the face, including the mouth and the teeth.

The trigeminal nerve provides sensory information to the brain about sensations like temperature and touch, says Devon Conway, MD, a neurologist at Cleveland Clinic Main Campus in Ohio.

About 150,000 people a year are diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia, according to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons.