This 74-year-old patient presents with an enlargement of the maxilla, pain, and a chief complaint that his dentures no longer fit. Radiographic examination reveals a patchy radiolucency and radiopacity that resembles cotton wool. This is indicative of what disease of bone?

Question

This 74-year-old patient presents with an enlargement of the maxilla, pain, and a chief complaint that his dentures no longer fit. Radiographic examination reveals a patchy radiolucency and radiopacity that resembles cotton wool.  This is indicative of what disease of bone?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The patchy radiolucency and radiopacity resembling cotton wool is characteristic of Paget disease of bone, a condition marked by abnormal bone remodeling in which an affected bone shows areas of increased and decreased density. The enlargement of the maxilla and pain are also common symptoms of Paget disease of bone. Osteomalacia involves softening of the bones due to vitamin D deficiency, fibrous dysplasia leads to the formation of abnormal fibrous tissue in place of bone, and florid cemento-osseous dysplasia is a benign fibro-osseous lesion that typically affects the mandible or maxilla.

This 74-Year-Old Patient Presents with an Enlargement of the Maxilla