Letters to the Editor

We would like to report on a case that was referred to our Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery department. A fit and well 40-year-old male was referred by his general dental practitioner regarding a radiolucency associated with the lower left premolar region. This was otherwise asymptomatic and the LL4 and LL5 were said to be vital. A panoramic radiograph confirmed the presence of a well-defined and corticated radiolucency in the lower left premolar region (Figure 1).

Clinically there was no intra-oral abnormality; the lower left premolars were non mobile and vital. A CT scan was requested to obtain more detail. This revealed a depression of the lingual left side of the mandible 5 x 10 mm in size with the roots of the lower left premolars just lateral to this lesion. The inferior dental neurovascular canal was sitting immediately inferiorly to the lesion. The lesion was described as potentially being a Stafne's Idiopathic Bone Cavity (SIBC). As per previous literature,¹ an MRI scan was performed, so as to investigate for any involvement or pathology associated with the adjacent salivary gland tissue (likely sublingual) which could be associated with this bone defect.