Cervical Lymphadenopathy in Dentistry―A Review

On examination, lymph node enlargement may be an incidental finding, or may be associated with a patient complaint. Over half of the patients examined every day may have enlarged lymph nodes in the head and neck region. Oral health care providers must able to determine when lymphadenopathy should be investigated further since it has a high frequency of occurrence. But it is the duty of the clinician to search for a precipitating cause and examine other nodal locations to exclude generalized lymphadenopathy. Generally lymph node larger than 1 cm in diameter is considered as an abnormal lymph node. Malignancy should be considered when palpable lymph nodes are identified in the supraclavicular region, or when nodes are rock hard, rubbery, or fixed in consistency. Patients with unexplained localized cervical lymphadenopathy presenting with a benign clinical picture should be observed for a 2- to 4-week period. This article reviews common causes of lymphadenopathy, and clinical approach to a patient with cervical lymphadenopathy.