Diagnosis and Management of Peripheral Ossifying Fibroma

ABSTRACT Localized gingival overgrowth occurs as a result of local irritation or as a response to an underlying systemic condition. When present, it results in a diagnostic dilemma – it could be due to pyogenic granuloma, peripheral ossifying fibroma (POF), peripheral giant cell fibroma, or peripheral odontogenic fibroma. Proper history and clinical and histopathological examination aid in diagnosis and treatment. POF is a focal, slow-growing, reactive lesion that is often present as a painless mass in the gingiva. POF can be sessile or pedunculated and predominately seen in the second decade of life with a female predilection. This article presents the diagnosis and management of POF in the maxillary premolar region of a 28-year-old female patient. CLINICAL RELEVANCE TO INTERDISCIPLINARY DENTISTRY • Peripheral ossifying fibroma is a soft tissue overgrowth that is clinically indistinguishable from many reactive soft tissue lesions and can only be diagnosed by histopathological evaluation • In this case, the periodontist performed the surgical excision of the soft tissue lesion, and the oral Pathologist examined the lesion histologically and provided the final diagnosis.