Swellings of Orofacial Structures in Children

Abstract

Orofacial swelling is clinically a common problem found in pediatric dental patients. The causes of these swellings are mostly diverse, and the knowledge about specific clinical as well as imaging manifestations along with the most affected sites of these swelling is needed for the formulation of a differential diagnosis. Mid-facial nonprogressive swelling is usually suggestive of a congenital defect (like a cephalocele, nasal glioma, epidermoid cyst or nasal dermoid). Swelling that is slowly progressive, may be indicative of a neurofibroma, hemangioma, vascular malformation, lymph angioma, pseudocyst or fibrous dysplasia. In cases of facial swellings that are rapidly progressive and associated with cranial nerve deficits, rhabdomyosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, Langerhans cell histiocytosis, metastatic neuroblastoma and osteogenic sarcoma should also be included in the differential diagnosis.

Keywords: Congenital Defect, Differential Diagnosis, Oro-facial Swelling.

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