Most cancers of the jaw have the same primary culprits as other head and neck cancers: tobacco use and more than a little alcohol consumption. Usually, no treatment is required unless they become painful, in which case, they can be removed by an oral surgeon. There may be one growth or several, on one side of the mouth or both. Although less common, it can occur in the upper jaw, where it is known as torus palatinus. This bony growth develops on the lower jaw, beneath or on the side of the tongue. It can be asymptomatic or cause pain and swelling. This benign tumor of the bones occurs in the jaw less than 1% of the time, but usually affects the mandible when it does. These tumors account for three to six percent of odontogenic tumors. It usually occurs in the lower jaw and may recur after surgery. This rare, slow growing tumor can be large and aggressive, invading the jaw and surrounding tissue, and displacing teeth. It frequently recurs and, rarely, may become malignant. This slow-growing, benign cyst most often develops in the lower jaw near the third molars and can be destructive to nearby areas. Odontomas often have no symptoms but may interfere with tooth development or eruption. This most-common type of odontogenic tumor has the appearance of a misshapen tooth. They generally occur near wisdom teeth, but other teeth can also be involved. These cysts begin in the tissue that surrounds a tooth before it “erupts” or breaks through the surface. Some may grow rapidly, causing pain and destroying bone, while others are less aggressive. They account for less than 7% of benign lesions of the jaw. These lesions usually occur in the front portion of the lower jaw and most require surgery. Though uncommon, ameloblastomas have been known to become cancerous, particularly if they recur after surgical removal.
They can invade local bone and soft tissue and may recur after surgery. These jaw tumors grow from cells in the enamel that protects your teeth and often form near the wisdom teeth or molars. Before we dive into the cancerous sort, let’s look at benign jaw tumors for a second.īenign jaw tumors and cysts include: Ameloblastomas If it’s in the upper portion, it may be referred to as hard palate cancer because the upper jaw is part of the hard palate.Īnd finally, there are several types of tumors and cysts of the jaw that are benign, meaning they are not cancer although they can still grow big enough to threaten your ability to chew, swallow, and talk. If a cancerous tumor is in the lower portion of the jaw, known as the mandible, it’s called mandibular cancer. There are also some bone cancers that affect the jaw, but these are very rare, representing only 1% of all head and neck cancers. For our purposes here, though, we’ll be using the term “jaw cancer” as a shortcut to talking about cancerous tumors in your jaw, regardless of origin. Given their proximity to the jaw, it’s not hugely surprising that these cancers spread there but technically speaking, they are still mouth or throat cancer, not “jaw cancer.” It’s like having tumors in your breast that spread to your lungs: Your diagnosis is still breast cancer, no matter where the cancer spreads to. Rather, they are head and neck cancers that usually begin in the mouth, throat, or salivary glands. This is why: Most cancers that affect the jaw don’t start there.
If you look in the American Cancer Society’s official A-Z guide of cancer types, you won’t find jaw cancer.
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