Adjuvant Alendronic Acid in the Management of Severe Cherubism: A Case Report and Literature Review

Cherubism is a rare disease of the jaws characterized by bilateral symmetrical painless expansion of the mandible and maxilla. In extreme cases, larger lesions can become exophytic and have profound functional and esthetic implications. Several pharmacologic agents have been trialed in the treatment of cherubism with variable success reported. Bisphosphonates have not been significantly studied in this setting. We present a case where oral alendronic acid was used as an adjuvant treatment after surgical debulking of the maxilla in a 13-year-old boy with a severe case of cherubism.