Anterior Stafne's bone cavity mimicking a periapical lesion of endodontic origin: report of two cases.
BACKGROUND
This report of 2 cases describes the diagnostic procedures used to identify 2 Stafne's bone cavities (SBC) found in unusually anterior locations in the mandible, both mimicking periapical lesions of endodontic origin.


METHODS
In the first patient, a 47-year-old man, an SBC was diagnosed in the area of teeth #27, 28, and 29. In the second patient, a 62-year-old man, the SBC was a fortuitous finding, because this patient was referred for dental implant therapy.


RESULTS
In both cases, the final diagnosis was achieved by using limited cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In both patients, the lingual bone cavity was found to be occupied by accessory salivary gland tissue.


CONCLUSIONS
The combination of CBCT and MRI as noninvasive diagnostic techniques seems ideal to avoid surgical explorations, incisional biopsies, or enucleations of the lesion for diagnostic purposes.
Department of Oral Surgery and Stomatology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland. michael.bornstein@zmk.unibe.ch
Michael M
MM
Bornstein
Roland
R
Wiest
Roman
R
Balsiger
Peter A
PA
Reichart
D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D002828:Choristoma / Q000175:diagnosis; D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007570:Jaw Cysts / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008336:Mandibular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011842:Radicular Cyst / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000473:pathology