[How to detect opacities in the orofacial soft tissue on a panoramic radiograph? Dystrophic calcifications]

Opacities in the orofacial soft tissue rather than the bone are frequently seen on panoramic radiographs. The differential diagnosis of these opacities is diverse and comprises abnormalities both frequently seen and rare. On account of this diversity, the clinical interpretation of a soft tissue opacity is often difficult. Heterotopic calcifications, heterotopic ossifications, and foreign bodies are distinguished. Heterotopic calcifications are subdivided into 3 groups, i.e. dystrophic calcifications, idiopathic calcifications, and metastatic calcifications. In this article, the emphasis will be on radiological and clinical characteristics of dystrophic calcifications and how to recognize these on panoramic radiographs. In dystrophic calcification, calcium salts are deposited in chronically inflamedor necrotic tissue.