The salivary glands are exocrine glands that create, modify, and secrete saliva into the oral cavity. Saliva accelerats mastication, swallowing, and speech, lubricates the oral mucosa, important for taste perception, and digestion of triglycerides and starches.Moreover, saliva plays a defensive role against infections, and protect the oral cavity and esophagus from gastric juice.
Sialolithiasis is a benign condition including the formation of stones within the ducts of the major salivary glands, and it is the most recurrent cause of salivary gland swelling.
NCCT scan is an excellent tool in the diagnosis and treatment planning of sialolith and painful pathologies of the salivary gland. MRI Sialography is an increasingly popular diagnostic technique in which the patient's own saliva is used as a natural contrast agent. It is a non-irradiating non-invasive imaging modality for the assessment of ductal pathologies.
Sialendoscopy is a safe and effective alternative to conventional open surgical techniques with a better quality of life.