Stafne Bone Defect — NDEB AFK MCQ
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Correct answer: D — A well-defined, round or oval radiolucency below the inferior alveolar canal in the posterior mandible, usually containing sublingual or submandibular gland tissue
A Stafne bone defect (static bone cyst, latent bone cyst) is a developmental concavity on the lingual surface of the posterior mandible below the inferior alveolar canal, containing a lobe of the submandibular salivary gland. On panoramic radiograph, it appears as a well-circumscribed, oval or round radiolucency below the mandibular canal. It is typically unilateral and asymptomatic. It is NOT a true cyst (no epithelial lining). No treatment is required — CT or MRI confirms the diagnosis (soft tissue density within the defect). It is found in approximately 0.1-0.5% of panoramic radiographs.
Reference: Neville – Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, 4th ed., 2016