Cemental dysplasia is a benign and painless bone disorder that most often affects black women in their 40s. Tough the disease is invisible through the naked eye, the disease is diagnosed via X-ray as the occurrence of translucent to opaque growths under the teeth of the lower jaw.
What is Cemental Dysplasia?
Cemental dysplasias are dental diseases that mostly affect women in their 40s or 50s. Rarely, is the disease found in people under the age of 20, due to the slow and progressive growth of lesions under the affected teeth. The disease itself is harmless, but is linked to either genetics or trauma.
There are two forms of cemental dysplasia: periapical cemental dysplasia and fibroid cemental dysplasia. Periapical cemental dysplasia is characterized by benign, localized bone destruction and calcification around the apex of the tooth. The front canine teeth on the lower jaw are most commonly affected, and the specific location of the lesions differentiates cemental dysplasia from other dental bone disorders. Fibroid cemental dysplasia is diagnosed when the benign lesions are diffused beneath more than one tooth.
Diagnosing Cemental Dysplasia
Often, cemental dysplasias are misdiagnosed as a periapical cysts or granulomas, which both require more invasive treatment. Many bone disorders are impossible to differentiate, yet one can be more detrimental to your health than the next. Therefore, a correct diagnosis is essential for treatment, and is readily acquired through a detailed assessment of patient genetic history, possible history of trauma, X-ray, biopsies, and pulp vitality tests. Visual observation without X-ray equipment is not enough to diagnose cemental dysplasia, although trauma to the head or neck could indicate cause of cemental dysplasia. It is very important to get regular check-ups with your dentist to rule out malignant dental disease and to seek immediate medical attention after trauma sustained to the jaw.
Treatment
The only needed treatment of cemental dysplasia is observation over the course of several years. As aging occurs, lesions mature to an opaque stage and stabilize in size. Follow up X-rays and biopsies can ensure that the lesions are, in fact, benign. It is also essential to have a pulp vitality test to make sure that the affected teeth are healthy, and to ensure correct diagnosis. If the lesions do not cease growth, the dissection (enucleation) of the growth with or without tooth removal may be necessary. In select cases of severe lesions, medicines such as pamidronate may be administered at the lesion site to cease calcification and increase bone density.
References
 |
