Buccal exostosis

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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 do not typically present until adult life, and some consider buccal exostoses to be a variation of normal anatomy rather than a diagnosable disease. As a theoretical mechanism of origin, bone is thought to become hyperplastic, consisting of mature cortical and trabecular bone with a smooth outer surface. Buccal extoses are less common than the somewhat similar mandibular tori, which more often present on the interior lower jaw.

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