Types of Odontoma
- Compound odontoma consists of four separate dental tissues embedded in fibrous connective tissue.
- Complex odontoma is unrecognizable as dental hard and soft tissues, usually presenting as a radioopaque area.
- Dilated odontoma is an infrequent developmental alteration that appears in any area of the dental arches.
- Dens invaginatus is a developmental anomaly resulting from invagination of a portion of crown forming within the enamel organ.
- Ameloblastic fibrodentinoma and ameloblastic fibro-odontoma are types of lesions resembling complex odontomas.
Histopathology of Odontoma
- Odontomas are composed of mixed epithelial and mesenchymal components.
- These components are required for tooth development and produce enamel, dentine, cementum, and pulp tissue.
Presentation of Odontoma
- Odontomas are usually asymptomatic and often found as chance radiographic findings.
- They are commonly detected during childhood and adolescence when teeth do not erupt within the expected timeframe.
- Occasionally, odontomas can erupt into the mouth and cause acute infections resembling dental abscesses.
- Radiolucent flecks develop during the early stage of odontoma development.
- A dense radioopaque mass becomes visible as enamel and dentine form.
Aetiology of Odontoma
- The overall cause of odontomas is unknown.
- They have been associated with local trauma, inflammatory and/or infectious processes, and hereditary anomalies.
- Odontoblastic hyperactivity, mature odontoblasts, and dental lamina remnants (Cell Rests of Serres) have also been implicated.
Treatment of Odontoma
- The most common treatment for odontomas is surgical enucleation.
- Odontomas are well-encapsulated, allowing for separation from the surrounding bone.
- If left untreated, odontomas can result in the formation of a dentigerous cyst.
An odontoma, also known as an odontome, is a benign tumour linked to tooth development. Specifically, it is a dental hamartoma, meaning that it is composed of normal dental tissue that has grown in an irregular way. It includes both odontogenic hard and soft tissues. As with normal tooth development, odontomas stop growing once mature which makes them benign.
| Odontoma | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Odontome |
 | |
| Specialty | Dentistry |
The average age of people found with an odontoma is 14. The condition is frequently associated with one or more unerupted teeth and is often detected through failure of teeth to erupt at the expected time. Though most cases are found impacted within the jaw there are instances where odontomas have erupted into the oral cavity.
