Cherubism with idiopathic gingival enlargement: A rare case report

Abstract

Cherubism is a congenital childhood disease of autosomal dominant inheritance. It is a benign, familial giant cell lesion characterized by gradually progressive painless swelling of the jaws. Idiopathic gingival enlargement is a rare condition and may be associated with some uncommon syndromes. This case report describes an 11-year-old patient with unusual clinical form of gingival enlargement, cherubic facial appearance. Clinical examination revealed the presence of the hyperplastic gingiva, which completely covered all teeth. The bilateral swelling of mandible and the appearance of the sclera beneath the iris suggested cherubism. The diagnosis was confirmed by histopathological examination, which revealed multinucleated giant cells. Computed tomography scan showed multiple osteolytic zones in the mandible. A full mouth gingivectomy was performed in four stages. Lesion healed successfully, and no recurrence observed after 1-year follow-up. There was a marked improvement in esthetics and function through the surgical excision of the overgrowth.