Treatment

If you have mild fibrous dysplasia that's discovered incidentally and you have no signs or symptoms, your risk of developing deformity or fracturing your bone is low. Your doctor will likely monitor your condition with periodic X-rays.

Medications

Osteoporosis medications called bisphosphonates help prevent bone loss by decreasing the activity of cells that normally dissolve bone. Some studies suggest that bisphosphonates may strengthen bones affected by fibrous dysplasia and may relieve bone pain.

Surgery

Your doctor may recommend surgery in order to:

• Correct a deformity
• Correct a difference in limb lengths
• Repair a fracture that does not heal with casting
• Prevent fractures
• Relieve pressure on a nerve, particularly if the lesion is in your skull or face

Surgery may involve removing the bone lesion and replacing it with a bone graft: bone from another part of your body, bone tissue from a donor or a synthetic material. In some cases a fibrous dysplasia lesion may develop again.

Your surgeon also may insert metal plates, rods or screws to prevent fractures or to stabilize a bone or bone graft.