[Metastatic tumor of the jaw--diagnosis and management]

Metastatic tumors to the oral region are not common. The most common primary sources of metastatic tumors to the oral region are the breast, lung and kidney. The breast is the most common primary site for metastatic tumors to the jawbone, whereas the lung is the most common source for metastases to the oral soft tissues. In the jawbones, the most common location is the mandible, with the molar area being the most frequent involved site. In nearly 30% of the cases, the metastatic lesion in the oral region is the first indication of an unknown malignancy at a distant primary site. The diagnosis and management of a case with metastatic tumor to the mandible is described.