Mandibular abnormalities in neurofibromatosis. Case report and literature review.

A patient with von Recklinghausen's neurofibromatosis that was undiagnosed until the sixth decade of life is discussed. He came for evaluation and treatment of multiple radiolucent lesions, bilaterally distributed throughout the mandible. Histologic examination of a cutaneous nodule, as well as of the intrabony radiolucencies, confirmed the diagnosis of neurofibromatosis. Examination of the intrabony radiolucencies revealed fibrous connective tissue with an inflammatory cell infiltrate. Family history revealed marked variation in expression of the clinical features of the disease.