Key Points
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Outlines the role of the general dental practitioner in the diagnosis of a tonsillolith in panoramic radiography.
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Emphasises the importance of the medical history in the fi nal diagnosis.
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Explains the role of differential diagnosis of a tonsillolith and other diseases.
Abstract
Tonsilloliths are rare concretions found in the tonsillar crypt. They are usually single and unilateral, but occasionally may be multiple or bilateral. This report describes a case of a 47-year-old woman whose radiography revealed one radiopaque image located in the right ramus of the mandible. The patient revealed a history of slight dysphagia, halitosis and swallowing pain with a foreign body sensation. Her medical history revealed a tonsillectomy when she was eight years old and the removal of the uvula because of sleep apnoea six years ago. Computer tomography showed a delimited and calcified oval image measuring 0.6 × 0.6 cm. The tonsillar concretion might have been formed because of a calcification of the lymphoid tissue. On the patient's request, surgical excision was not performed and she will be monitored due to the tendency of such lesions to grow.
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Caldas, M., Neves, E., Manzi, F. et al. Tonsillolith – report of an unusual case. Br Dent J 202, 265–267 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/bdj.2007.175
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/bdj.2007.175
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