Introduction:

Exostoses are localized bony lumps of a benign nature. They are an infrequent condition in infants.

Objective:

Present a case of bilateral palatal exostosis in a dark-skinned female infant aged one year and four months.

Case presentation:

The girl was brought by her mother to the Children's Dental Clinic for oral examination. During anamnesis, the mother referred to delay in the eruption of deciduous teeth and the presence of lumps on the upper arch without any painful symptom. She also reported that three relatives had the same alteration in their maxilla or mandible. Oral examination revealed a bilateral flat bony lump in the maxilla, in the lingual region of the palatal tuberosities, covered by normal oral mucosa. The surface was stiff to palpation with well defined borders. The genetic factor was associated to the clinical aspect of the lesion, as well as the sex and ethnicity of the patient. The diagnosis was bilateral palatal exostosis. Biopsy and active treatment for removal of the lesion were not justified due to the patient's age, absence of painful symptoms, and potential interference with feeding, swallowing and other oral functions. The patient was periodically followed-up and was observed to present a normal process of deciduous tooth eruption.

Conclusions:

Even though palatal exostosis is infrequent in children, it is important for dental surgeons to be knowledgeable about the topic so as to reach an appropriate diagnosis and treatment plan.

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