Cherubism: A Case Report

Background: Cherubism is an uncommon genetic disorder inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern, usually seen in childhood. The swelling typically increases in size until puberty and then tends to stabilize or regress on its own. The condition was first recognized by Jones in 1933, who described it as a familial multilocular jaw disease. The name “cherubism” was later adopted because the rounded face and upward gaze of affected children resemble the angelic cherubs depicted in classical art. On radiographs, cherubism appears as bilateral, expansile, multilocular radiolucent lesions that are distinctly bordered by cortical bone within the mandible. Histologically, composed of a highly vascular fibrous connective tissue containing numerous multinucleated giant cells resembling osteoclasts. The management of cherubism remains a subject of debate. The condition is known to undergo spontaneous regression over time. The resulting bony deformities can be addressed through bone decortication and surgical contouringCase Report: We present a rare case of cherubism in a female patient of 9 years old child who developed bilateral, painless swelling of the face beginning at 7 years of age. The enlargement progressed steadily until the age of 9 years, with no signs of spontaneous regression. Clinical examination, radiographic evaluation, and histopathological analysis together confirmed the diagnosis of cherubism.Conclusion: Cherubism must be included in the differential diagnosis when evaluating children with bilateral enlargement of the jaws. A thorough assessment using clinical features, imaging, and histopathology is essential to establish an accurate diagnosis.