Management of Sialolithiasis in the Submandibular Salivary Glands: A Case Report

Abstract

Introduction: Sialolithiasis or salivary calculus is a salivary gland disease characterized by the formation of mineralized structures in the excretory salivary ducts or glandular parenchyma. About 80% occur in the submandibular glands followed by the parotid glands and sublingual salivary glands. Sialolithiasis can occur in the minor salivary glands, they can develop in any region of the oral cavity containing the minor salivary glands. Case report: A 78-year-old female patient presented with complaints of pain and lumps in the lower left jaw which often occurred 2 years ago. The lump gets bigger when eating spicy food and gets smaller when taking antibiotics, then the patient is treated for sialodenectomy and sialolithectomy. Discussion: History, clinical examination, and investigations in patients with sialolithiasis are very important to determine the appropriate treatment. Surgical management of sialolithiasis of the salivary glands has been recommended to reduce the likelihood of recurrence when compared to more conservative approaches, therefore it is the treatment of choice for these lesions. Conclusion: Salivary gland sialolithiasis is a rare occurrence, which may present diagnostic difficulties due to similar clinical characteristics with other lesions. Surgical management is performed to prevent sialolithiasis from growing bigger.