Fibro-osseous Lesions
Ossifying Fibroma
aka Cemento-ossifying Fibroma · COF
Benign well-demarcated encapsulated fibro-osseous neoplasm of tooth-bearing regions of the jaws; unlike fibrous dysplasia, it can be shelled out.
Border
Well defined
Rx
Enucleation
Variant risk
Juvenile aggressive
§ overviewOverview
Benign encapsulated fibro-osseous neoplasm composed of cellular fibrous tissue with variable bone/cementum-like mineralisation.
§ epidemiologyEpidemiology
Adults 20–40 y; F > M; mandibular premolar/molar region most common site.
§ clinicalClinical Features
- 01Slow-growing painless jaw swelling with bucco-lingual expansion
- 02Displacement of teeth
- 03Well-defined lesion — key distinction from fibrous dysplasia
§ differentialDifferential Diagnosis
- 01Fibrous dysplasia (poorly demarcated, ground-glass)
- 02Cemento-osseous dysplasia (multifocal, no capsule)
- 03Ameloblastoma
§ histopathHistopathology
- 01Fibrous stroma with variable cellularity
- 02Trabeculae of woven bone and basophilic cementum-like calcifications
- 03True capsule (allows enucleation)
§ radiographicRadiographic Features
- 01Well-defined unilocular radiolucent-to-mixed lesion with thin sclerotic border
- 02Progressive centripetal mineralisation
- 03Downward bowing of inferior mandibular border
§ investigationsInvestigations
- 01OPG, CBCT to define margins
- 02Incisional biopsy for diagnosis
§ classificationClassification
- 01Conventional (cemento-)ossifying fibroma
- 02Juvenile trabecular OF
- 03Juvenile psammomatoid OF
§ treatmentTreatment
- 01Complete surgical enucleation with curettage of the bony cavity — curative
- 02Segmental resection for large or recurrent juvenile variants
§ complicationsComplications
- 01Recurrence <10% for adult OF, higher for juvenile variants
§ prognosisPrognosis
Excellent for classical OF; juvenile variants more aggressive with higher recurrence.
§ examKey Examination Points
- 01Well-circumscribed vs FD's diffuse border
- 02Cortical bowing on CBCT
§ revisionQuick Revision Summary
- 01Encapsulated · enucleation curative · JOF more aggressive
§ vivaBDS Viva Questions
- 01Differentiate OF from fibrous dysplasia.
- 02Juvenile variants?
- 03Treatment approach?
§ mcqsMCQs — Assessment (3)
Question 1
Key feature separating OF from FD:
Question 2
Treatment of choice:
Question 3
Most aggressive variant:
References
- WHO Head & Neck Tumours 2022
Draft — pending faculty review. Educational use only; verify against current guidelines and primary sources before clinical application.