[Periapical osseous dysplasia of the anterior maxilla--a case presentation]

Osseous dysplasias (formerly cemento-osseous dysplasias/ CODs) represent a specific clinico-pathologic spectrum of related, non-neoplastic benign fibro-osseous lesions. The most recent WHO classification (2005) defines them as bone-related lesions (9262/0). The controversial presence of cementum was solved by complete removal of the term "cemento" in the revised classification of tumors. Normal bone architecture is replaced by fibroblasts and collagen fibers containing variable amounts of mineralized material. Osseous dysplasias are often identified as an incidental finding on standard dental radiographs of adults. They usually cause no specific symptoms or obvious clinical findings. Four different types of ODs can be distinguished: the periapical osseous dysplasia (POD), the focal osseous dysplasia (FocOD), the florid osseous dysplasia (FOD) and the familial gigantiform cementoma. This case report presents an unusual localization of a periapical osseous dysplasia (POD) in the anterior maxillary bone in a 33-year old female patient of Caucasian origin. Radiological, clinical and histopathological characteristics of the POD and similar benign lesions are defined and discussed.