Benign Osteoblastoma Of The Mandible; Fifteen-year Follow-up Showing Spontaneous Regression After Biopsy
Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 45(1): Jan 1987; 53-57
View Original Source →Abstract
This paper presents a case of benign osteoblastoma that showed regression during a long-term follow-up, and illustrates that the course of any disease in any instance is not always predictable with certainty. There are two aspects of this case that merit discussion: 1) the decision to defer intervention despite occasional reports of malignant transformation of osteoblastoma, and 2) the apparent spontaneous regression which followed biopsy, a phenomenon which to our knowledge has not been reported previously for osteoblastoma.
Case Details
Personal Characteristics
11-year-old caucasian female
Clinical Characteristics
Slowly increasing swelling of the labial aspect of the anterior mandible, prominence in the region of the left lateral incisor and canine, enlargement was circular and measured approximately 7 millimeters in diameter, the area was markedly tender to palpation, the four lower incisors were slightly mobile, diffuse mottling of the alveolar bone in the lower anterior region extending between and below the roots of the incisor teeth, thickened periodontal ligaments in the involved area, small expansion of the mandible labially in the left canine region
Remission Characteristics
Serial radiographs taken at yearly intervals revealed that the process was a regressing one, marked by alterations in trabecular pattern and gradual restitution of normal architecture. Over a period of 15 years the lesion regressed to the point where the configuration was virtually normal, with reconstitution of the lamina dura and normal periodontal ligaments. External swelling has subsided, the teeth are firm and the patient is asymptomatic.
Treatment & Mechanisms
Proposed Remission Mechanisms
Not discussed
Clinical Treatment
An incisional biopsy was performed under local anesthesia. No effort was made to remove the entire lesion.
Additional Notes
The decision to defer intervention despite occasional reports of malignant transformation of osteoblastoma, and the apparent spontaneous regression which followed biopsy, a phenomenon which to our knowledge has not been reported previously for osteoblastoma.