The concept of hamartomas: its relevance to the pathogenesis of odontogenic lesions.

The term hamartoma should be applied only to tumorlike lesions which arise during development of the organ or tissue in question and which are apparently not neoplastic; it should not be used instead of benign tumor. A hamartoma is composed on an abnormal mixture of tissues native to the part, with an excess of one or more of these tissues. The relevance of the concept of hamartomas in the pathogenesis of odontogenic lesions is discussed briefly.