Successful conservative treatment of a mandibular unicystic ameloblastoma: 13-year follow-up

Ameloblastoma is an uncommon, locally aggressive benign odontogenic tumor and can reach considerable dimensions causing facial deformity and functional impairment. They are characterized by local aggressiveness. It is recommended that maxillary ameloblastomas be treated aggressively due to proximity of various vital structures. Conservative treatments such as marsupialization, enucleation and curettage while preserving bone integrity seem to be associated with a high rate of recurrence. Treatment evaluation of ameloblastomas is a complex issue, as ideally it should not be so destructive due to the benign nature of this lesion, but should be extensive enough to avoid recurrences. The present study is about a clinical case of a 16-year- old man with a unicystic ameloblastoma treated successfully with marsupialization. Patient was followed up every 12 months. About 13 years after diagnosis, the patient is clinically healthy and radiographically it is possible to observe evidence of bone repair. Key words:Odontogenic tumors, ameloblastoma, marsupialization, unicystic.