The ameloblastoma is the most common epithelial odontgenic tumor. and it is often difficult to make a differential diagnosis from a dentigerous cyst. We report a case of ameloblastoma revealed prior to orthodontic therapy. On February 18, 2004, an 11-year-old girl was referred to the Division of Orthodontics with a chief complaint of an unerupted second molar. Panoramic radiography showed a unilocular radiolucent lesion that included the crown of the unerupted second molar. A tentative diagnosis of dentigerous cyst was made, and the lesion was marsupialized.
Histopathological examination resulted in a diagnosis of ameloblastoma (follicular type).
Therefore excision of the tumor was performed carefully, and the related impacted tooth was managed conservatively by a tooth traction technique. The postoperative course was uneventful. There was no evidence of recurrence 2 years after the operation.
In conclusion, we emphasize that it is important to examine the lesion histopathologically even when marsupialization for a cystic lesion has been done.
