Osseous Dysplasia with Gross Jaw Expansion: A Review of 18 Lesions

Fourteen cases with 18 grossly expansive lesions diagnosed over a period of 15 years as either “familial gigantiform cementoma” or “osseous dysplasia with jaw expansion” in an African population sample were reviewed. Eight lesions occurred in the anterior mandible, the maxilla was affected by four, three patients presented with more than one lesion and the most common associated pathologies were tooth displacement, conventional non expanding florid osseous dysplasia and simple bone cyst. No history of similar lesions in relatives of the diseased were recorded. The radiolucent fibrous component contained globular bone deposits and cellular osteoid with trabecular differentiation which matured into radiodense mineralized masses. Resorption of the cellular bone created cavities which are proposed to represent the early stage of simple bone cyst formation. It is recommended that “expansive osseous dysplasia” replace the out-dated term “familial gigantiform cementoma”. The differential diagnoses of expansive osseous dysplasias are discussed.