CBCT and MRI Analysis of Stafne Bone Defect Correlated with Submandibular Glands

Stafne’s bone defect is a developmental anatomic bone defect in the lingual side of the mandible in the area of the mandibular angle that is filled with proliferation or translocation of adjacent structures such as salivary gland tissue. Radiography illustrates this defect as a unilocular radiolucent image with a well-defined border and a regular border, found below the mandibular canal that can extend from the molars to the angle.

The etiology is still undefined, and two hypotheses are proposed, one is the glandular related to the submandibular or sublingual glands and the second is ischemic that affects the vascularization of the mandibular lingual.

Usually accidentally detected on panoramic radiographs during dental treatments as a well-limited radiolucency image with a clear peripheral regular condensation border, located below the mandibular canal. The differential diagnosis could be related to a history of trauma or traumatic bone cyst, residual cyst, dentigerous cyst, odontogenic keratocyst, focal osteoporotic bone marrow defect, and Stafne bone defect.

The differential diagnosis includes traumatic bone cysts, odontogenic and non-odontogenic cystic lesions, non-ossifying fibroma, focal osteoporotic bone marrow defect, and other lesions.

On the panoramic radiograph, Stafne’s bone defect appears as a well-limited radiolucency image with a clear peripheral regular condensation border, located below the mandibular canal.

Cone Beam Computed Tomography reveals more details about the localization, shape and size, and relation with the mandibular canal and Magnetic Resonance Imaging identifies the nature of the inside soft tissue. In conclusion, an association of CBCT and MRI was discovered to be a favorable methodology for exploring SBD.