Stafne Bone Cavity — ORE Part 1 MCQ

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HardRadiology & ImagingStafne Bone CavityORE Part 1

A 52-year-old patient has an incidental, painless, well-corticated unilocular radiolucency in the mandibular canine-premolar region. The adjacent teeth respond normally to sensibility testing and show no caries, restoration or periodontal defect. CBCT demonstrates a lingual cortical depression containing soft tissue, with an intact buccal cortex. What is the most likely diagnosis?

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Correct answer: D — Stafne bone cavity

The correct answer is **A, Stafne bone cavity**. Although the classic lesion lies posteriorly below the mandibular canal, an anterior variant may occur in the canine-premolar region. It is usually asymptomatic and corticated; CBCT is particularly useful because it shows the characteristic lingual cortical concavity, often containing soft tissue related to the sublingual-gland region. Normal tooth sensibility and absence of dental disease argue strongly against a periapical granuloma or radicular cyst, both of which are normally associated with pulpal necrosis. A lateral periodontal cyst is a small odontogenic cyst situated beside a vital root, but it does not produce the characteristic lingual cortical depression. A traumatic bone cyst may involve vital teeth but is an intraosseous cavity, commonly in the posterior mandible, rather than a soft-tissue-filled lingual defect.

Reference: Koca H, et al. A diagnostic challenge: anterior variant of mandibular lingual bone depression. Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology, Oral Radiology and Endodontology. 2006. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17004569/