Peripheral Osteoma in the Mandibular Angle

Osteoma mostly begins from the compact iliac bone but can be occasionally observed in the maxillofacial region. In the maxillofacial region, osteoma most frequently invades the sinuses, particularly the frontal sinus. It rarely occurs in the mandible [3]. Various pathogenesis of osteoma have been proposed, including the developmental theory, the neoplastic theory, and the reactive theory [4]. Most cases of osteoma are asymptomatic and do not require surgery, but because patients can be admitted to hospitals due to facial asymmetry, as in the case presented herein, clinicians must understand the clinical aspects and imaging characteristics of osteoma. A 24-year-old woman with a facial asymmetry due to hypertrophy of the left mandible presented to our department. The patient had first noticed the asymmetrically large left mandible 4 years earlier, but she had observed its progress without clinical evaluation. A mass was coincidentally detected 2 years prior to presentation during orthodontic examination on panoramic radiography, which was the reason she was aware that she had an asymmetrical left mandible. The size of the mass had gradually increased since then, so the patient was References