A Clincical Analysis of the Oral Neoplasms in Our Clinic : Ameloblastoma

Ameloblastoma is a comparatively rare epithelial tumor which many arises from the cells of the dental lamina, epithelium of dental lamina, or possibly from the basal epithelium of the oral mucosa. This tumor has been discussed extensively in the literature. A total of 11 cases reported as ameloblastoma in the Second Department of Oral Surgery, Kyushu Dental College Hospital, during the period from 1978 to 1984, were clinically analysed. The following results were obtained. 1) A series of 11 cases of ameloblastoma were reported. The case distribution by histopathology according to Ishikawa (1982) was as follows : 2 (18.2%) of type I, 6 (54.5%) of type II, 3 (27.3%) of type III. 2) The clinical complaint most commonly reported was a painless, localized swelling. The recorded known duration showed a range of 6 months. 3) Of the 11 cases, 9 (81.8%) were under 49 years of age (average 33.7 years). Average age of each histopathological type was 49.0 years in type I, 37.0 years in type II, 17.0 years in type III. The sex incidence was 6 males and 5 females. 4) Ameloblastoma in the majority of the 11 cases was located on the mandible, especially on the mandibular molar region and ascending ramus. About 80% of cases of the mandible belonged to type II and type III. 5) The majority of 11 cases were elastic hard or elastic soft and size of a pigeon's egg to size of the tip of a thumb. In size, the type III was smaller than the type I and type II. 6) 6 cases (54.5%) had radiologically multilocular appearance and 5 cases (45.5%) were unilocular in appearance. 4 cases (36.4%) were associated with the impacted tooth ; of the 4 cases, 3 cases were at the 3rd molar, and most cases belonged to type II and type III. 7) Treatment was performed mostly by wide surgical excision.