Abstract
Odontogenic tumors are lesions derived from the elements of the tooth-forming apparatus and are found exclusively within the jawbones. This review presents a contemporary outline of our current understanding of the molecular and genetic alterations associated with the development and progression of odontogenic tumors, including apoptosis-related factors, telomerase, cell cycle regulators, growth factors, regulators of tooth development, hard tissue-related proteins, cell adhesion molecules, matrix-degrading proteinases, angiogenic factors, and osteolytic cytokines. It is hoped that better understanding of related molecular mechanisms will help to predict the course of odontogenic tumors and lead to the development of new therapeutic concepts for their management.
