Frequency and distribution of mandibular condensing osteitis lesions in a Taiwanese population

Background/purpose Condensing osteitis (CO) is a common lesion of the jaw bone. This study surveyed the occurrence of mandible CO and its distribution in the mandible in a Taiwanese population. Materials and methods Panoramic radiographs and clinical information of 1098 patients at the Dental Department of Tri-Service General Hospital (Taipei, Taiwan) were collected. The patient data were analyzed to determine the CO disease status, patient age distribution, sex, CO location in the mandible, and the status of the affected tooth. Results Seventy-five CO lesions were identified in 63 patients. The prevalence of CO in the mandible was 5.7%. Eight (10.7%) CO cases were associated with teeth that had crowns and/or bridges, 16 (21.3%) CO cases were associated with teeth that had caries or restorations; 22 (29.3%) CO cases were associated with teeth that had received root canal therapy, nine (12%) CO cases were associated with teeth with periodontal diseases, and 20 (26.7%) CO cases were located in the tooth extraction area. The percentage of females and males was 65.3% and 34.7%, respectively. Ten (13.3%) CO cases and 65 (86.7%) CO cases were identified in the premolar and molar area, respectively. The most common site of CO was in the first molar region. Conclusion In our study population, the CO lesion occurs more commonly in female patients who were in their 60s. The mandibular 1st molar and teeth that had received root canal therapy had the highest association with CO. The CO distribution, as determined from this study, can provide valuable information for future clinical references.