Peripheral osteoma of the mandible: Report of a case of 22 years' duration

Osteomas of the jaws are uncommon benign lesions which may be of the endosteal or periosteal type. They may be single or multiple, with considerable variation in size. On occasion they may present problems in differential diagnosis because of their similarity to other bony lesions. Treatment of osteomas is usually unnecessary unless pain is a factor or the lesions reach such a disfiguring size and interfere with function to such a degree that surgical removal is indicated in order to re-establish facial contour and normal function. When surgical removal is indicated, these tumors may be sharply resected, and recurrence is rare following complete excision. On occasion, osteomas may be associated with other systemic findings, such as those of Gardner's syndrome.