Ossifying fibroma-cementoma of jaw. Differences in histopathological nomenclature

Ossifying fibroma (cementoma) is a tumor of mesenchymal origin which represents about 1% of odontogenic tumors. It is commonly found in patients under 25, more often so in women. As its growth is slow and painless, it is usually accidentally detected by dental radiological examination. The aim of our study was to present the histopathological dilemma concerning the naming of a rare odontogenic tumor of the jaw. The authors present a rare jaw tumor, a benign ossifying fibroma, in the maxilla of a 12-year-old girl treated surgically, and they discuss the difficulty in making a definitive histopathological diagnosis. The clinical and histological criteria for identifying this type of tumor are still uncertain, as the most common sites, that is the tooth-bearing areas of the mandible, are very rare in the maxilla. The differentiation from the central fibro-osseous lesions in the maxilla bones is discussed. The final diagnosis of ossifying fibroma was based on the WHO classification. A literature search reveals a fundamental flaw in defining a unified classification for this type of change. As there is no clear diagnostic criterion, few repeatable diagnoses can be found. Although individual researchers tend to use their own means of classification in their routine work, the WHO classification should be applied.