My pain sounds similar to yours. I have been diagnosed with Atypical TN. I was very confused at first because my pain didn't come in short, shooting bursts of electrical type pain that people with TN describe.

Mine starts out in my molars on the top and bottom left side and by the middle of the day my left jaw, cheek and ear are so sore. It is a constant, digging and pulling, achy pain like I got punched in the face. There are some days it isn't there and some days are worse than others.

As soon as I starting reading about Atypical TN, or Type II TN, it fit my pain very well.

My journey started out in the dental office, too, as I was convinced it was my teeth. Next to a TMJ specialist who said I have TMD and bruxism and gave me a night guard. When the pain was continuing to increase I had an MRI, which was fine, and was finally diagnosed with TN.

Good luck to you on this terrible journey!