Diagnosis and treatment of jaw tumors in children.

A retrospective review of experience with jaw tumors in 48 children over a ten-year period was made. These were predominantly benign, nonodontogenic, mesenchymal tumors. Clinical behavior was variable and often did not correspond to the histologic patterns. The clinically aggressive variants displayed rapid growth usually with associated pain. Resection rather than curettage is appropriate therapy when there has been earlier treatment failure by local tumor removal or rapid tumor expansion, or when tumor extensively invades the jaw. When resection is carried out, facial growth is not adversely affected if early reconstruction with autogenous bone is performed.