Soft tissue calcifications: diagnostic considerations

Introduction: Soft tissue calcifications are the accumulation of calcium salts in tissues other than bones. They are a set of radio-opacities easily identifiable on a radiographic image, generally the panoramic sort, this being one of the most commonly used techniques in dental practice. The presence of these calcifications in terms of their location, shape, size and number, will suggest the type of soft tissue calcified. Objective: Identify the types of soft tissue calcifications, their description on a dental diagnosis image and their probable association with an underlying systemic disease. Methods: A narrative literature review was conducted of papers about soft tissue calcifications published in the databases PubMed and Google Scholar from January 2014 to May 2019. The search terms used included "calcification", "panoramic radiograph" and "soft tissues", among others. Data analysis and integration: The review is a detailed summary of several types of calcifications, their clinical implication and imaging features. Conclusions: Soft tissue calcifications are conditions identified as findings of dental image techniques which often go unnoticed. The revision stresses that it is the responsibility of oral and maxillofacial radiologists to identify and report these calcifications. However, general dental practitioners should also familiarize themselves with this sort of condition and likewise inform the patients.