Cherubism: Treatment, Cost and Side Effects

Cherubism treatment is required for patients who have a rare genetic condition which leads to the prominence of the lower part of the face as it affects the bones of the lower jaw and sometimes the upper jaw as well. SH3PB2 is the major reason behind this genetic disorder as around 80% of people with the condition have the mutation to the same gene. For the other 20% of people, the cause of the condition is believed to be a genetic disorder; however the gene which actually gets affected is still unknown.

Since cherubism is a genetic condition, individuals whose parents suffer from this condition or are carriers are at a risk of developing this condition. Carriers of this genetic mutation however, do not show any symptom. Cherubism is usually diagnosed with the help of a number of assessments including CT scan, a general physical exam, X-ray and also a review of the family history. Your doctor may also take your blood sample or take a skin biopsy to check for the SH3PB2 mutation present in the gene. In order to understand the type of treatment required for the patient’s condition, dental assessment, ophthalmic eye exam and a family history assessment may also be needed.

The condition of cherubism affects every individual differently. For some, this condition may be mild and moderate and the symptoms maybe barely noticeable. Survey to remove the excessive tissue growth may be helpful in some cases. This can help is restoring the jaws and cheeks to its previous shape and size. For cases where patients have misplaced teeth, the teeth can be adjusted or pulled by orthodontics. These pulled out teeth can be replaced with implants as well.

With children who have cherubism, seeing a doctor and a dentist regularly is advised as they this will help you keep a track of the growth of the extra tissues on the face. This helps you monitor the progress in the child’s condition as well. Children are expected to not undergo a surgery until they’ve gone through puberty. The extra facial tissues should be removed only then. If you have any concerns, talking to your doctor and devising a treatment plan most suitable for you or your child may be helpful. The treatment plan will be framed according to the symptoms and other health factors of the patient.

Individuals seeing symptoms like round, swollen looking face, loose or even misplaced tooth, and a wide jaw should get themselves tested for the problem. Individuals do not show symptoms of developing this condition during birth as the obvious symptoms start appearing after two or three years of birth.

Individuals who do not show symptoms of having the condition are not eligible for the treatment of cherubism. Also, children who have not gone through puberty are not eligible to get the surgery.

All surgical procedures have a risk of the patients getting some type of infection or bleeding. Pain and swelling in such surgeries can also be a complication which individuals may have to face. Some patients may choose to go for plastic surgery to work on the areas of the face affected by the condition as well. Plastic surgery also has a number of side effects like nerve damage, pulmonary embolism, organ damage, scarring in certain areas, anesthesia complications, deep vein thrombosis, among many others.

For patients with mild cases of cherubism, no treatment is required as the symptoms start reducing on its own after the patient hits puberty. Annual clinical and radiographic examinations are required during the stage of the growth of lesions. A follow-up in every 2-5 years is also suggested by medical practitioners once the growth becomes inactive. There are many support groups and foundations established to provide guidelines and help to people suffering from this condition as well. Families of patients who are affected by the problem of cherubism need to be supportive and take care of the needs of the patients.

Cherubism can be cured with the help of a surgery and the patients can get recover from the surgery within a couple of days or weeks. A plastic surgery may also be needed for some people who want to correct the disfigurement of the face. For other moderate cases, the symptoms go away on their own once the patient reaches puberty.

Once the patient gets the surgery done, the results become permanent. For cases with mild symptoms, the condition starts getting better on its own once the patient reaches puberty.