I had have/had TN, the sharp electrical shocking type of pain in my right jaw and right side of my mouth. My MRI showed nothing unusual. My neurosurgeon said that MVD surgery is only done if the TN can not be controlled by any medication. No medication worked for me so I had MVD surgery. When the surgery was performed, he found multiple blood vessels tangled up with the nerve. I think they do an MRI just to make sure there is not something causing the problem like a tumor etc... My MVD surgery was done in 2010 and have been attack/pain free ever since. I do have some minor what I call twinges in my lower jaw but they are more of an inconvenience than anything. Not painful at all.
Did you know that most health insurance companies consider MVD surgery to be an elective surgery and not a necessary surgery? I was astounded when I found that out! Are you kidding me?
MVD surgery literally saved my life....