Localized gingival enlargements are fairly common and typically represent reactive proliferative lesions, rather than true neoplasms.
Reactive or inflammatory lesions represent more than 90% of histopathologically analyzed gingival biopsies and most commonly include diagnoses of pyogenic granuloma, fibrous hyperplasia, peripheral ossifying fibroma and peripheral giant cell granuloma.
Peripheral ossifying fibroma (POF) has been cited in the literature under various names such as cemento ossifying fibroma, peripheral fibroma with osteogenesis, peripheral odontogenic fibroma, calcifying fibroblastic granuloma, etc.
POF is defined as a well demarcated and occasionally encapsulated lesion consisting of fibrous tissue containing variable amounts of mineralized material resembling bone (ossifying fibroma).
It is considered to be the soft tissue counterpart to central ossifying fibroma. A case of POF in the maxillary gingiva of a 20 year old male patient is described in this report.
