Prevalence of idiopathic osteosclerosis in an Iranian population

Aim: Idiopathic osteosclerosis (IO) is a localized radiopacity with no associated pain, bony expansion, symptom, or known etiology. The aim of this study was to assess its frequency and distribution according to its location and patient′s age and gender and internal structure using panoramic radiography. Subjects and Methods: In this retrospective study, 3975 panoramic radiographs (PRs) were used. Radiopaque regions which had no certain relationship to any known sources of hard tissue production were accepted as IO and characteristics such as shape, location, internal structure, and personal information were investigated. Statistical Analysis Used: The obtained data were evaluated using SPSS software and Chi-square test. Results: IO was found in 113 (2.84%) out of 3975 patients. The most frequent site was the posterior region of mandible. There was no significant difference in the incidence of IO between genders (P = 0.766). Conclusion: IO is an asymptomatic radiopaque mass commonly seen in PR, which was found mostly in the first molar region of mandible. Furthermore, its maximum frequency was in the second decade.