[Mixed odontogenic tumours]

A rare case of maxillary ameloblastic fibro-odontoma and a review of the literature

Introduction: Ameloblastic fibro-odontoma (AFO) is a benign complex odontogenic tumor in the mandible in children and adolescents. Observation: A 9-year-old boy was referred to the dental department for the delayed eruption of tooth 26. He was asymptomatic, and on clinical examination, we found that tooth 26 was absent with tumefaction instead of the tooth. Cone beam computed tomography revealed an opaque mass in the root of 26. The management was surgical, and anatomopathological examination facilitated the diagnosis of AFO. Commentary: The upper maxillary localization of AFO is rare and is not often a practitioner's first thought. Surgical excision of the tumor is essential based on the histological diagnosis. The patient must be followed up after 3 months and regularly until the eruption of the affected tooth. Conclusion: AFO is one of the differential diagnoses to be considered when a young patient presents with firm swelling with delayed eruption of the opposing tooth, especially since it has good prognosis and is easy to manage.

[Pediatric mandibular ameloblastic fibro-odontoma]

INTRODUCTION

Ameloblastic fibro-odontoma (AFO) is a very rare mixed odontogenic tumor (2% of all odontogenic tumors). It is considered as a non-extensive non-aggressive tumor but recurrence and malignant transformation remain possible. We report a voluminous AFO in a child.

CASE REPORT

A 7-year-old boy presented with a right mandibular and facial swelling. The panoramic radiograph and CT scan revealed a voluminous unilocular radiolucent lesion (10 cm) with an impacted tooth that involved the ramus area and the angle of the right mandible. Enucleation and curettage was performed with a good outcome. There was no recurrence at ten months.

DISCUSSION

This case is exceptional because of the young patient's age, the large tumor diameter, and the good outcome after ten months. This tumor occurs more often in the posterior region of the mandible and is frequently seen in the first two decades of life. The diagnosis is made on radio-clinical data and may be confirmed by histology. A surgical treatment with complete tumor removal is recommended to prevent recurrence.