Recurrent Pindborg tumor of the maxilla: a case report and review of the literature.

We report a case of recurrent Pindborg tumor (calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumor) of the maxilla. The patient was a 34-year-old woman who had been previously diagnosed with Pindborg tumor and treated with curettage. She was subsequently referred to us for evaluation of nasal obstruction. Examination revealed the presence of a mass lesion in the right nasal cavity and right maxilla, which was identified as a recurrence of her earlier Pindborg tumor. The patient was treated with maxillectomy with orbital preservation. Pindborg tumor is a rare odontogenic tumor; when it does occur, it is more often seen in the mandible than in the maxilla. While this tumor is often treated with curettage alone, the aggressive nature of the recurrence in our patient necessitated radical surgery. We report this case to highlight the need to be suitably aggressive in treating these types of tumors in order to avoid recurrence.