Help understand trigeminal and how do I make sure its TN rather than toothache

Hi, just yesterday the doctor said I may have trigeminal neuralgia...I have been having this toothache which started for a week, I went to the dentist and she said nothings wrong, since I can't pinpoint exactly what tooth is painful, all I know is my upper right jaw is painful..my dentist suggested I go to an ent coz I probably have a sinusitis or allergic rhinitis..So turns out I do have allergic rhinitis, sinusitis but on the left side of my face...so the doc said that's not whats causing my pain but its TN, and he gave me carpamazepine...but then again I wanted to read more about before taking the med, so I have yet to take the med...I'm really afraid, so I want to know if you know any accurate diagnostic tool to diagnose TN, because all I did was do a facial x-ray, which was not that clear and he checked my face then I was diagnose with TN...I guess I'm in denial, but anyone who experience this pain care to comment....It started a week ago, the pain seems to start on my right upper teeth, or nerves, its sharp and pulsating then sometimes my right lower teeth in between my extracted tooth also seems painful, mainly itchy then painful...but before all this, I used to have a bit of a lock jaw on my right jaw again...huhu I seem to be experiencing so many symptoms...

[nancy99n]

Your story sounds SO familiar. I also experienced what my dentist and I called "phantom" toothaches. He could never find anything wrong and always mentioned it might be a nerve problem. This happened on and off for about a year. Then I had an electric shock type pain up the side of my nose when blowing my nose that just stopped me in my tracks. I went to an ENT and he did a scan which didn't show any problems with my sinuses. He also mentioned it might be a nerve problem.
Finally went to my internist who diagnosed TN after running blood tests and an MRI to rule out all other possibilities.
TN diagnosis is usually done by ruling out everything else and listening to your symptoms. There is an MRI called Trigeminal Neuralgia protocol or "thin slice" that can sometimes show a blood vessel or vein compression on the nerve. However, lots of people have that MRI and it doesn't show a compression, then they have a MVD surgery and the surgeon finds a compression. So MRIs are not always definitive.
If the medication at the right dosage level relieves your pain then you will have your confirmation. TN pain isn't controlled by ibuprofen or other pain killers.
Let us know how it's going and definitely ask any questions you may have. We're here to help