FIBROUS DYSPLASIA AND BEYOND

Fibro-osseous lesions (FOLs) of the jaws represent a spectrum of disorders characterized by the pathological substitution of normal bone with fibrous connective tissue and mineralized deposits. These entities encompass fibrous dysplasia (FD) cemento-osseous dysplasias (COD) and ossifying fibromas (OF) each demonstrating overlapping yet distinct clinical and radiographic profiles.Fibrous dysplasia attributed to GNAS-1 gene mutations manifests as an insidious painless expansion of affected bones resulting in facial asymmetry and dental malocclusion. Radiographically it exhibits a characteristic ground-glass opacity. Therapeutic approaches range from conservative observation to bisphosphonate administration and surgical intervention in cases of significant functional or aesthetic compromise.Cemento-osseous dysplasias comprising periapical focal and florid variants arise from periodontal ligament progenitor cells. These lesions predominantly affecting middle-aged women exhibit a well-defined progression from radiolucency to sclerosis. Typically asymptomatic they necessitate intervention only in instances of secondary infection.