Fibro-osseous lesions of craniofacial bones. The role of imaging.

Abstract

Fibro-osseous lesions of the craniofacial structures are a group of pathologic conditions that are somewhat difficult to classify. Fibro-osseous lesions of the jaw may be divided into two categories: fibrous dysplasia, a developmental lesion characterized by the development of swelling, which consists of proliferating fibrous tissue that replaces normal bone; and those that have been postulated to originate from the periodontal ligament. This article describes the imaging characteristics of fibrous dysplasia and other fibro-osseous lesions of oral bones, including ossifying fibroma, periapical cemental dysplasia, cemento-ossifying fibroma, and florid osseous dysplasia.