Spontaneous bone regeneration of the mandible in an elderly patient: a case report and review of the literature.

Spontaneous bone regeneration is an unexpected phenomenon that may take place in large mandibular defects secondary to trauma and tumor resection. One explanation for this unusual healing course is that it may be derived from the mechanism of fracture healing. A review of the literature presents several factors that may influence this process, such as the presence of periosteum and bony fragments, mandibular stabilization, soft tissue protection, the presence of infection, and a young age. Previous reports of spontaneous mandibular regeneration have all taken place in relatively young patients (5-35 years old). This paper reports a case of spontaneous bone regeneration in a 58-year-old woman who sustained an injury to her mandible from an explosive blast, and presents some explanations on how such an event could take place.