Solitary central myofibroma presenting in the gnathic region

Solitary myofibroma of adults is an uncommon neoplasm that typically arises in soft tissue and subcutaneous sites in the head and neck, but rarely within bone. When encountered in the jaws, the lesions exhibit clinical and radiographic features suggestive of an odontogenic tumor or cyst as well as several other neoplastic conditions. Tooth mobility, displacement of teeth, and dramatic jaw expansion may be observed. Analogous to other sites of involvement, gnathic myofibromas are biologically indolent and show little or no recurrence following excision. In rare instances, however, the ability to obtain adequate surgical margins by conservative measures may be limited; thus, issues of local control may supercede the importance of biologic potential. We present the radiologic and histopathologic findings in a case of central myofibroma presenting as a large lytic lesion of the mandible. Myofibroma involving the jaw bones represents a unique diagnostic and therapeutic challenge, and accurate diagnosis and management is predicated on careful correlation of radiographic and pathologic findings.