Juvenile Ossifying Fibroma Treatment

Juvenile Ossifying Fibroma (JOF) is a bony-hard lesion or mass that forms over a portion of a bone somewhere on the face and causes swelling or facial asymmetry. Usually asymptomatic, pain can sometimes occur depending on the lesion's location. Although termed "juvenile," this rare disease can occur at all ages, and treatment options depend on the severity of the condition.

Confirming the Diagnosis

• Due to its frequent presentation around the jaw bone, JOF masses are often first identified in dentist offices using panoramic X-ray technology. Computerized tomography together with a biopsy usually are performed to confirm the diagnosis and rule out cancerous malignancies.

Curettage

• When aggressive or non-recurring JOF is suspected, as is the case more than two-thirds of the time, curettage often is recommended. This option is much less invasive than surgical resection and involves shaving or scraping the mass using a surgical device called a curette. The curette scrapes the mass until healthy bone is reached.

Surgical Resection

• A surgical resection is generally recommended in cases where the mass appears to be aggressive and widespread or is a recurrence of an earlier JOF mass treated previously with curettage. When the growth has taken over other areas of the face, including the septum area of the nose and nasal cavities, surgery is used to cut out the mass as well as some bone, and plastic surgery is often necessary to repair the damage done by the mass.