Cone-beam computed tomography assessment of the prevalence and distribution of bone islands of the jaws in a group of chinese patients.

BACKGROUND

Bone islands (BIs) are asymptomatic lesions typically identified incidentally on radiographs obtained for other reasons. The application of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) in oral clinics is becoming increasingly prevalent. This study aims to determine the prevalence of BIs in jaws by using CBCT, and to characterize the findings in relation to age, sex, and location.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective summary analysis of 2504 CBCT images obtained at the Department of Stomatology of Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 2021 to December 2023. Among these, 1019 were male (40.7%), and 1485 were female (59.3%). The patients' ages ranged from 9 to 91 years (average age, 45.3 years; standard deviation, 17.94 years).

RESULTS

Among 2504 patients, 347 (13.9%) patients exhibited BIs, including 139 (40.1%) male and 208 (59.9%) female patients. The incidence of BIs was higher in females than in males, but the difference was not statistically significant. A total of 424 BIs were identified, with 281 patients (81%) showing one BI, and 66 (19%) showing multiple BIs. The youngest patients with BIs was 11 years old, and the oldest was 88 years old (mean age, 40.71 years). Most lesions were observed in patients aged 10 ~ 29 years. The highest incidence of BIs was observed in the premolar and molar regions of the mandible. The positional relationship between jaw BIs and the teeth or lamina dura was predominantly type IV, followed by type V. Most jaw BIs were predominantly of the cortical bone type and apical-cortical bone type. Enostosis type BIs were more frequently observed on CBCT scans. Both the central sclerosis type and the enostosis type BIs exhibited both homogeneous and heterogeneous subtypes, but the homogeneous subtype was predominant.

CONCLUSIONS

BIs can occur at any age, and any location, and without sex predilection. They usually only require prompt diagnosis, highlighting the importance of careful diagnostic evaluation of radiographic findings in dental examinations. The impacts of different types of BIs on dental health and the associated treatment strategies remain unclear, highlighting the need for further research in this area.