Giant complex odontoma in the posterior mandible: A case report and literature review

Odontomas are considered a type of odontogenic hamartoma, and are generally reported not to exceed 3 cm in diameter. Some authors have referred to odontomas with a diameter exceeding 3 cm as giant odontomas. As hamartomas, giant odontomas generally show no signs or symptoms, but if they perforate the mucosa to become exposed in the oral cavity, oral and maxillofacial infections can result. Surgical removal and a histopathological examination may also be required to differentiate them from osteomas, cemento-osseous dysplasia, or mixed odontogenic tumors. This report presents the case of a 28-year-old woman with a giant odontoma in the right mandibular third molar area. Based on a review of the literature published since 2010, only 11 cases of “giant” or “large” odontomas have been reported, most of which were of the complex odontoma type. It was confirmed that they tend to occur in the right posterior mandible.