Osteomas are slow-growing, benign osteogenic masses that generally affect the craniofacial bones and rarely involve the jaw bones. Although pathogenesis of peripheral osteoma is not clear, by some researchers, it has been considered to be a developmental abnormality or a true neoplasm. There are three types of osteomas: Central (endosteal), peripheral (periosteal), and extraskeletal. Peripheral osteoma arises from periosteum and rarely occurs in the mandible. Owing to their slow-growing nature, most osteomas of the maxillofacial region remain asymptomatic until the size of the tumor causes disfigurement and dysfunction. In this paper, we present a case of peripheral osteoma located in the buccal aspects of the mandible and a review of the literature.
Keywords: Peripheral osteoma, mandible, case report