Chronic multifocal inflammation of the alveolar bone mimicking malignancy: a case report

ABSTRACT

Chronic inflammation of the alveolar bone is a great clinical and radiologic mimic, which merits recognition by the clinician and pathologist. The patient can thus be reassured of the proper early treatment and a favorable prognosis. Occasionally, it is difficult to differentiate inflammatory lesions from malignant tumors. The aim of this report is to present a case with an inflammatory lesion mimicking malignant condition. We report a 19-year-old male complaining of rapid onset gingival swelling of the right side of both jaws and looseness of the right upper molar teeth in 20 days. Based on the acute onset of the gingival hyperplasia, severe looseness of the affected teeth especially in the maxilla, and the patient's age, multifocal rapid growing malignant condition was not ruled out. The lesion was misdiagnosed as a malignant condition by clinical and radiographic examination. The whole body bone scan showed no significant increased uptake in the right oral cavity compatible with no active bony pathology. The surgical pathology findings of the lesion showed severe chronic inflammation with surface epithelial hyperplasia. The initial diagnosis of the lesion was malignant condition but it was ruled out by bone scan and histological appearance