Facial osteomas: Fourteen cases and a review of literature

OBJECTIVE: Osteomas are benign tumors that frequently affect the cranio-fa-cial region, especially the temporal bones, jaw and sinus. This lesion very rarely involves the maxillary bones. The aim of our study is to describe our surgical case series and to evaluate the diagnosis and management of peripheral craniofacial osteomas with a review of the literature. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed a series of 14 patients that underwent surgery for the removal of a cranio-facial osteoma, 10 cases were peripheral osteoma of the lower jaw and 4 were peripheral osteomas of the upper jaw. The 14 patients included 8 females and 6 males, with a mean age of 42 years. The median follow up period was 48 months. RESULTS: All patients received a total surgical removal and we did not have any intraoperative complications with optimal cosmetic and functional results. Pain resolved in all cases and a single case postoperative dysesthesia occurred. NO recurrence has been detected at last follow-up visit. CONCLUSIONS: Osteomas must be well identified and differentiated from other solid diseases of the bone and should be treated if symptomatic. The elective treatment is surgical removal, resulting in a complete resolution of the pathology.