Tumors of the jaw can respresent malignancies or benign processes. Enlargement of the bones of the jaw can affect the motion of the the mouth in eating, swallowing and speaking. Rapid growth of tumors can lead to pain, by stretching of the lining of the bone, the periosteum.
Processes that lead to gradual enlargement of the jaw bone, such as acromegaly (pituitary tumor) or fibrous dysplasia, can occur with few other symptoms.
Bony outgrowths may develop on either the upper or lower jaw bone. They are benign and only of concern if they interfere with dental care. Multiple osteomas on x-ray suggest Gardner's syndrome.
Causes of Jaw Tumor
Jaw tumors arisinig from the bone include ostogenic sarcomas. These represent hose malignancies arising from bone. In this main group are three basic tumors: (1) osteosarcoma, (2) chondrosarcoma, and (3) fibrosarcoma. The radiographic and clinical findings are extremely similar and it is not possible to differentiate them except on the basis of microscopic examination. The prognoses of these three types of jaw malignancies vary.
Other causes of jaw pain or swelling, such as actinmycosis, broken jaw, dislocated jaw, heart attack, temporal arteritis and trigeminal neuralgia need to be excluded.
Exophytic bony enlargements, or bone spurs, can develop in response to a number of situations and need to be differentiated from bone tumors.
A variety of tumors arise from the teeth and their surrounding tissues. Some are benign some may be malignant.
Signs and Symptoms of Jaw Tumor
Jaw tumors are usually brought to light because their growth causes swelling of the face, palate, or alveolar process (the area of the jaw around the teeth).
These tumors produce severe pain, swelling and tenderness over the affected bone.
Some of these tumors, such as ameloblastoma, the most common epithelial odontogenic neoplasm, usually arises in the posterior mandible. Due to slow growth, it rarely produces symptoms early one. It is apparent on radiographic examination.
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