Odontogenic tumors in childhood: a retrospective study of 86 treated cases. Importance of a correct histopathologic diagnosis.

The odontogenic tumors are an unusual group of lesions of the jaws derived from embryologic tooth-forming tissues and presenting in a large number of histologic patterns. More common in pediatric age and adolescence than in adult age, the odontogenic tumors can be observed casually or after the appearance of nonspecific symptoms. Because of their slow-growth tendency, usually they do not cause pain. The odontogenic tumors grow in the jaw, through the haversian system, without metastasis but with and high probability of relapse. A retrospective study of 86 cases treated between 1997 and 2005 is reported. The percent of diagnosed cases that were benign was 98.8%, and just one case of malign neoplasm is reported. The most frequent tumor accounted for in the reported sample was odontoma (39.5%) followed by odontogenic fibroma (12.8%). Ameloblastoma and myxoma showed the same incidence (11.6%). Early diagnosis, together with a correct histologic diagnosis, allows a preservative and effective surgical treatment and is necessary to reduce the risk of relapse.