ANTERIOR LINGUAL MANDIBULAR SALIVARY-GLAND DEFECT - A DILEMMA IN DIAGNOSIS

Anterior lingual mandibular salivary gland defects are very rare. Thes e lesions present as non-definitive bony radiolucencies. There are sev eral other radiolucent entities which present in the anterior mandible with greater frequency and this creates a diagnostic dilemma for the practitioner. The ultimate and proper treatment or non-treatment depen ds on a correct diagnosis of these lesions. The correctness of the dia gnosis and avoidance of unnecessary traumatic procedures may be aided by more sophisticated radiographic studies, such as a CAT scan and/or Magnetic Resonance Imaging. A case of a very unusual appearing anterio r lingual mandibular salivary gland defect is presented and the diagno sis, management and recommendation for more complex radiographic studi es are discussed.