[Odontogenic myxoma of the maxillary].

INTRODUCTION: Odontogenic myxoma is a rare benign tumor that arises from the mesenchymal portion of the tooth germ. It has a va-riable non-specific clinical and radiological appearance, and may be confused with other lesions such as ameloblastoma. CASE REPORT: We describe the case of a young, African male patient with a large odontogenic myxoma of the maxillary. The patient presented a painless firm swelling of the left maxillary. The radiograph showed a radiolucent lesion that was compatible with several diagnoses. DISCUSSION: The diagnosis was based on clinical, radiographic and histopathologic features. This tumor is locally aggressive, inducing important facial deformation and tooth displacement. Radical treatment with surgery or prosthesis is needed due to the high rate of recurrence.