Asymptomatic Radiopacity of Mandible Causing Delayed Orthodontic Tooth Movement: A Case Report
Author(s): Noor Sam Ahmad*, Joann Yong Sook Mei, Norliwati Ibrahim, Azizah Ahmad Fauzi and Rohaya Megat Abdul Wahab
Abstract
An incidental finding of a radiopaque lesion on the mandible on a routine orthopantomogram taken before orthodontic treatment had triggered an alarm to the orthodontist. The opacity of lesion showed that it was composed of a dense bone and the lesion presented in the pathway of planned orthodontic tooth movement. We report a case of an asymptomatic radiopaque, non-expansive and localized lesion which occurred as an incidental finding upon routine dental panoramic radiograph assessment prior to orthodontic treatment. The radiopaque lesion which was presented in the pathway of planned orthodontic tooth movement had triggered an alarm to the orthodontist. On the basis of dental panoramic radiograph, the lesion was classified as well defined completely opaque lesion (98mmx70mm), located at the right body of mandible between tooth 44 and tooth 45 and did not attach to these teeth in adjacent to it (with continuous periodontal space separating the roots from the lesion). Nevertheless, the distal part of the lesion demonstrated attachment to the cortical part of the mandibular bone. The lesion was found to cause delayed of orthodontic tooth movement but no root resorption.