Schwannoma (neurilemmoma) is a common, histologically distinctive, benign, usually encapsulated, peripheral nerve tumour of Schwann cell origin. We report a case of schwannoma arising from soft tissue near the mandible. A 53-year-old female presented at our department with painless swelling of lingual mucosa of the mandible. The first molar was extracted 20 months before. Panoramic radiograph showed a suspected residual cyst. It was impossible to determine prior to surgery whether this was a peripheral nerve sheath tumour. The lesion was completely removed; the tumour appears to have originated in soft tissue and caused secondary erosion of the mandible.