A buccal exostosis is an exostosis (bone prominence) on the buccal surface (cheek side) of the alveolar ridge of the maxilla or mandible. More commonly seen in the maxilla than the mandible, buccal exostoses are considered to be site specific. Existing as asymptomatic bony nodules, buccal exostoses don’t usually present until adult life, and some consider buccal exostoses to be a variation of normal anatomy rather than disease. Bone is thought to become hyperplastic, consisting of mature cortical and trabecular bone with a smooth outer surface. They are less common when compared with mandibular tori. Signs and symptoms
Buccal exostoses are bony hamartomas, which are non- malignant, exophytic nodular outgrowths of dense cortical bone that are relatively avascular.’Symptoms:
Buccal exostoses generally tend to be asymptomatic and are usually painless. However, they may increase patient concern about poor aesthetics, inability to perform oral hygiene procedures due to difficulty in cleaning around the area with a toothbrush, and compromised periodontal health by causing food lodgement, which could lead to patients reporting increased bleeding when tooth brushing. Signs:

They tend to appear in early adolescence and may very slowly increase in size with time. Buccal exostoses generally occur bilaterally. Found usually in the premolar and molar region. These benign growths affect both the jaws. The maxilla is shown to display a higher prevalence rate of 5.1:1 in comparison to mandible. Males also are afflicted more than females with a prevalence rate of 1.66:1, in all intraoral locations.The overlying mucosa appears to be stretched but intact and normal in colour.
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