Slow and progressive, cemento-ossifying fibroma is a rare benign tumor that reaches the maxilla and more frequently the mandible. The ossifying and cementifying fibromas are differentiated by their clinical, radiological, and histological findings. The authors discuss the pathogenesis and radiological signs guiding the choice of diagnostic and therapeutic methods. The treatment is surgical with an enucleation or wider resection with bone reconstruction for large fibromas.

We performed a single-stage operation to reconstruct a large defect of the lips and commissure using a composite radial forearm-palmaris longus free flap. To obtain cranial traction and a voluntary smile, independently from any jaw movement, traction was achieved by using a lengthening temporalis myoplasty. The tendon attached to the coronoid process was fixed to the palmaris longus tendon, recreating a new commissure and a "neo-modiolus." Physical therapy was started on the 21st postoperative day to facilitate progress from a "mandibular smile," to ideally a spontaneous and symmetric smile after 3 months of therapy. This procedure was able to obtain good oral continence and a good commissural movement during smile which has not previously been mentioned in the published literature.

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