Bilateral masseter and internal pterygoid muscle hypertrophy: a diagnostic challenge

Abstract

Objective: To describe an unusual case of bilateral masseter and pterygoid muscle hypertrophy.

Clinical presentation and intervention: A 53-year-old female patient presented with a bilateral, painless swelling at the parotid areas without improvement after using antibiotics/systemic corticosteroids/nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents. Her medical history included thyroid nodules, but no dental/occlusal disorders were observed. The initial differential diagnosis included salivary gland/jaw bone/masseter pathology, but the CT/MRI revealed only an increase in the size of the masseter and pterygoid muscles. The patient was informed of the benign nature of the swelling and was advised to discontinue the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents.

Conclusion: The bilateral hypertrophy of masseter muscles should be considered in differential diagnosis in cases of unilateral or bilateral swelling of the parotid or lateral mandible area.