Developing Odontoma in the Mandible of an Eight-Year-Old Boy

Abstract

Benign mixed odontogenic tumors have been repeatedly classified and reclassified over the past few decades. Odontoma is considered a hamartoma due to its slow growth and non-aggressive nature. We present an interesting case of developing odontoma in an eight-year-old boy. His complaint was a slow-growing swelling in the lower right back tooth region. Clinical examination revealed a carious deciduous second molar. The orthopantomogram revealed a well-defined radiolucency around the unerupted mandibular first premolar and impacted mandibular second premolar. Histopathology revealed an odontogenic epithelial lining overlying myxofibrous stroma with inflammatory cells and calcified structures with few odontogenic rests. Special staining methods including Van Gieson and modified Gallego stains led to the final diagnosis of a developing odontoma.

Keywords: developing odontoma; hamartoma; impacted teeth; mandibular molar region; modified gallego; non-calcifying odontoma; odontoma; pediatric pathology; radiolucency; van gieson.