Treatment of an ossifying fibroma of the mandible with endodontic microsurgery and grafting with a biphasic calcium sulfate material: a case report

Abstract

Introduction: A significant percentage of lesions of endodontic origin require surgical management due to the possible diagnosis of odontogenic cysts and tumors in the maxilla and mandible. Ossifying fibroma is a benign fibro-osseous lesion that typically presents as a painless, slow-growing, and expansile lesion that appears as a well-demarcated lesion with a variable degree of internal calcification on radiography. Treatment results in a large osseous defect, utilization of a graft to fill the void accelerates healing and prevents complications that may result from failure to fill by the host response. Case presentation: Following endodontic surgery placement of osseous graft material via Guided Tissue Regeneration to fill the defect aids to accelerate fill of the defect on a healthy 26-year-old female patient. A case discussing the one-step treatment of an ossifying fibroma of the anterior part of the mandible following endodontic microsurgery with associated retrograde fill of the apex, then site grating with biphasic calcium sulfate (Bond Apatite®) used in regeneration of the osseous defect related to the lesion and resulting surgery. Clinical discussion: Histologically, the ossifying fibroma is dominated by connective tissue containing cell rich areas with a few fragments of fibrosis. Moreover, in the connective tissue numerous small fragments of spongy and compact bone with areas of partial necrosis present and a significant number of inflammatory cells are observed. Surgical removal of the cyst with thorough curettage of the osseous walls and grafting of the defect provides predictable healing and the desired clinical results sought. Utilization of the biphasic calcium sulfate graft material allows the elimination of the need to overlay the area with a membrane before the flap due to its hard set and the prevention of soft tissue ingrowth into the graft material during the healing phase. Additionally, the hard set of the material allows tenting of the area to maintain the desired volume and ridge contour. Conversion of the graft material depending on the volume placed to host bone occurs over a 3–6 month period. Conclusion: The case report presented, as well as the authors experience mimics the literature on biphasic calcium sulfate in its use as an osseous graft material and is an effective method for the repair of osseous defects that result from the removal of tumors and cysts of the maxilla and mandible. Treatment of an ossifying fibroma is an ideal application of the use of this biphasic calcium sulfate material allowing tenting of the surgical site over the defect created after cyst removal without the need for resorbable collagen membranes. This simplifies its use and decreases material costs that may hamper patient acceptance of treatment without a decrease in expected clinical results.