Compound odontoma--diagnosis and treatment: three case reports

Odontomas are the most common type of odontogenic tumors and generally they are asymptomatic. This paper describes three cases of compound odontomas diagnosed in children due to dislodgement or over-retention of primary anterior teeth and/or swelling of the cortical bone. In all cases, the surgical excision of the lesions was performed and, in one case, orthodontic treatment was adopted in order to move an impacted permanent tooth to its normal position. The results achieved indicate that the early diagnosis of odontomas allows the adoption of a less complex and expensive treatment and ensures better prognosis.