[Multiple cemento-ossifying fibromas of the jaw: a very rare diagnosis]

The cemento-ossifying fibromas (COF) of the jaws are well circumscribed, generally slow-growing, benign lesions which enlarge in an expansive manner. On occasion, they may reach a large size and may result in considerable deformity. The histological pattern of these lesions varies with the stages. In most reported cases ossifying and cemento-ossifying fibromas occur as a solitary lesion. Multiple occurrence of such lesions is rare. The term"cemento-ossifying fibroma"is used to describe fibrous lesions containing calcifications with strong similarity between bone and cementum. Although WHO and some authors regard the cementifying fibroma (CF) as an odontogenic tumor and consider ossifying fibroma (OF) separately as non-odontogenic neoplasm, there is general agreement that CF and OF represent only histologic variants of the same lesion. The case of a 36-year old woman with multiple cemento-ossifying fibromas of the mandible and maxilla demonstrates the diagnostic procedures and a possible therapeutic strategy for this rare lesion.