[Leontiasis ossea: a symptom...!].

The keyword "leontiasis ossea" has no diagnostic significance. It is only a description of a symptom of bone disease with a broad variability such as Paget's disease, fibrous dysplasia, hyperparathyroïdism and condensing osteopathies. (Pyle's disease, or cranio-diaphyseal dysplasia.) The first case presented shows advanced Paget's disease with radiographic signs of maxillary bone pathology. A tooth extraction in this patient was complicated by a severe healing problem. Sequestration occurred after two years. Healing was only obtained after removal of the sequestrum. The authors believe that the healing problem was directly related to Paget's disease of maxillary bone. The second case represents a patient with hyperparathyroïdism, showing an unusual facial swelling as only physical symptom of the disease. The problem of interpretation of biopsymaterial and the occurrence of osteosclerotic appearence on X-ray are discussed. The authors suggest that a complete examination (X-ray of the skeleton, blood and urine parameters, and functionel tests) should be performed to put forward a right diagnosis in the patient, presenting leontiasis ossea.