[Idiopathic osteosclerosis in jaw bones. Clinical statistic study on a population of Sardinian origin]. / Osteosclerosi idiopatiche dei mascellari. Indagine clinico-statistica su una popolazione originaria della Sardegna.

BACKGROUND: Idiopathic Osteosclerosis are localized, non-expansive and asymptomatic areas of bone radio-opacity, whose aetiology is unknown. The aim of this study was to assess its frequency, and distribution according to its location and to patients' age and gender, in a sample of patients native in Sardinia. METHODS: 697 consecutive clinical records of patients who underwent odontological treatment at the Department of Odontostomatologic Sciences at Cagliari University, over a 10-year period were studied. The panoramic radiographs attached to the clinical records were examined and searched for all cases that showed radio-opacity areas in maxillary bones that could be identified as idiopathic osteosclerosis (IO). RESULTS: By examining orthopantomographies we have located 58 IOs. We found no significant differences between the sexes; average age was 37.8 years. The mandible has proved to be the most affected site (98.2%) in the first molar tooth region (34.5%), followed by the premolar teeth region (25.9%) and of the second molar tooth (15.5%). The lesions examined had an average diameter of 8.8 mm. CONCLUSIONS: IO frequency has proved to be slightly higher than that reported in other articles, though remaining significantly lower than the values reported in Eastern populations. From the clinical point of view, IOs have been identified as sporadic radiographic findings without any real pathological relevance, except for one case in which the lesion caused nervous compression and dental retention, so that it was necessary to administer specific treatment.

[Microcystic lateral parodontal cyst. Report of a case]. / Cisti parodontale laterale microcistica. Descrizione di un caso clinico.

The lateral periodontal cyst (LPC) is an odontogenetic lesion of the maxillary bone representing about 0.8% of maxillary cystic lesions. It starts in the lateral periodontal area of a vital erupted tooth. Clinical symptoms are generally absent. Its diagnosis usually can be made on the basis of an occasional radiographic examination which shows an osteolytic monoloculate lesion with defined outlines. The botryoid cyst is a variation of LPC and is radiographically different and more aggressive than the common LPC. A clinical case of LPC which allows to make histopathological and clinical considerations on these cystic lesions is described.