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Odontogenic Tumors

Tumores odontogenici

For medical students2 min readUpdated 2026-10-10

Odontogenic tumors are a specific group of jaw bone neoplasms originating from tooth-forming tissues. As a rule, they are benign in nature, but they exhibit aggressive, locally destructive behavior and are capable of causing severe facial skeleton deformation.

HistogenesisProgenitor cells of dental tissues

Growth patternLocally destructive, tendency to recur

LocalizationIntraosseous (with potential extension to soft tissues)

General Clinical and Morphological Presentation

These neoplasms are relatively rare in clinical practice. Despite their predominantly benign nature, they require close attention due to their specific growth patterns.

Tumor development occurs intraosseously. Growth is typically very slow, so the process may remain completely asymptomatic for a long time. However, over time, the locally destructive action leads to severe consequences:

Significant deformation of the jaw bones.
Pathologic displacement and loosening of teeth.
Formation of the tumor in areas containing an unerupted tooth.
Occurrence of spontaneous jaw fractures due to thinning of the bone tissue.

Additionally, the tumor can extend beyond the bone: in the mandible, it can invade the soft tissues of the oral cavity, while in the maxilla, it can infiltrate the maxillary sinus. It is important to remember that with incomplete surgical removal, these neoplasms have a high tendency to recur.

Classification

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) classification, the categorization of these tumors is based on their histogenesis. It takes into account the complex embryogenesis of the dentognathic system and the interactions between progenitor cells of various dental tissues.

There are three main groups of odontogenic tumors:

Epithelial origin.
Mesenchymal origin.
Mixed origin (epithelial-mesenchymal).

Ameloblastoma

The most frequent and clinically significant benign odontogenic tumor of epithelial origin is ameloblastoma (historical synonym: adamantinoma).

Its source is odontogenic epithelium derived from remnants of the enamel organ or the epithelial lining of pre-existing odontogenic cysts. The disease affects men and women with equal frequency, predominantly between the ages of 20 and 50 years (though it can also occur in children).

Common Localization:

In more than 80% of cases, the body of the mandible is affected (especially the premolar and molar regions, as well as the angle and ramus of the mandible).
The tumor arises much less frequently in the incisor region.
In exceptional cases, extraosseous (peripheral) forms occur, which are usually located on the gingiva.

Macroscopically, two forms of ameloblastoma are distinguished:

Solid: a dense gray nodule consisting exclusively of tumor tissue.
Multicystic (polycystic): a lesion containing multiple cystic cavities filled with brown or clear fluid.

Mnemonic

To easily recognize a multicystic ameloblastoma on a radiograph, remember "soap bubbles." The radiograph shows multilocular zones of bone destruction separated by thin bony septa, visually resembling a cluster of soap suds.

Frequently asked questions

Which specific neoplasms belong to odontogenic tumors of mesenchymal origin?

Benign odontogenic tumors of mesenchymal origin include myxoma, fibroma, and a group of cemental tumors.

Odontogenic myxoma — a neoplasm of myxoid tissue characterized by locally destructive growth.
Odontogenic fibroma — a tumor of mature fibrous tissue with small foci of odontogenic epithelium.
Cemental tumors (cementomas) — fibro-osseous-cemental lesions united by the presence of cementum-like tissue. This group includes cementoblastoma (true cementoma), cementifying fibroma, and periapical cemento-osseous dysplasia.

What histological variants of structure are characteristic of ameloblastoma?

Ameloblastoma has several common and rare histological variants:

Follicular variant — the most typical, consisting of epithelial cell islands resembling a developing enamel organ.
Plexiform variant — characterized by irregularly shaped epithelial cords forming a network.
Granular cell variant — a rare histological form of the tumor.
Unicystic variant — a rare form presenting as an ameloblastoma within a cyst wall.
Acanthomatous type — noted for the highest tendency to recur (recurrence can occur even after 10 years).

Which tumors are included in the group of mixed (epithelial-mesenchymal) odontogenic neoplasms?

The group of benign odontogenic tumors of mixed epithelial-mesenchymal origin includes neoplasms composed of both epithelial and mesenchymal structural elements.

Ameloblastic fibroma — a tumor completely lacking hard dental tissues (enamel or dentin).
Ameloblastic fibro-odontoma — a neoplasm similar to ameloblastic fibroma but containing hard dental tissues.
Odontoma — a hamartoma that, when fully developed, includes all dental tissues. They are divided into simple and complex (compound) odontomas. Complex odontomas are further subdivided into mixed and complex types.

Are odontogenic tumors a form of cancer?

In the vast majority of cases, they are benign. However, due to their locally destructive growth, their behavior can be aggressive; they destroy bone and recur if incompletely removed.

What is the source of ameloblastoma development?

It develops from odontogenic epithelium (remnants of the enamel organ) or from the epithelial lining of odontogenic cysts.

Where is ameloblastoma most frequently found?

The typical localization is the body of the mandible (molar, premolar, ramus, and angle regions), accounting for over 80% of all cases.

Go deeper

Histological variants of ameloblastoma (follicular, plexiform, acanthomatous, desmoplastic, etc.)
Non-odontogenic tumors of the jaw bones and their differences
Metastatic lesions of the jaws (metastases from breast, lung, and renal cancer)
Odontogenic inflammatory processes (periostitis, osteomyelitis)
Cysts of the jaw bones and their relationship with tumor processes