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Oral Exams
Jonathan, a 15-year-old male, is a new patient. He is in for a routine appointment and has not been seen for a dental appointment in more than two years. Jonathan is on the wrestling team at the local school and competed in a national tournament with his school approximately one year ago.
He explains that he took a hard blow to the mandible during the tournament, and he has complained of a dull pressure sensation in his mandibular region for a few weeks. He was evaluated by the sports medicine providers at the event and was told that there did not appear to be any ill effects except for some bruising.
Jonathan is in good health, works out at the school gymnasium, and claims to eat a healthy diet supplemented by multiple vitamins with protein shakes.
In order to establish a permanent record for Jonathan, you proceed to first examine his mouth and take a full-mouth set of radiographs. The intraoral exam results in an area of concern for you since the right apical areas of the molars appear to be somewhat elevated. The radiographs that you subsequently take reveal a true area of concern in the mandible.
The related radiograph depicts a radiolucent lesion around the mandibular molar teeth extending from the second premolar to the distal of the second molar. The border of the radiolucent lesion...