Cementoblastoma and osteoblastoma: a comparison of histologic features

Three cases of cementoblastoma (CB) and three cases of osteoblastoma (OB) were histologically compared. The aim of the study was to investigate whether CB and OB are different in other aspects than being connected with a tooth. CB cases were the following: maxillary lesions in a 23-year-old woman and a 22-yr-old man and a mandibular lesion in a 28-yr-old man. In one case the tumor was fused to the roots of two teeth. Of the OB cases, one occurred in the mandible of a 27-yr-old man, one in the ankle of a 19-yr-old male and one in the thoracic vertebrae of a 27-yr-old man. Histologically, CB and OB had the same appearance including peripheral spiculae rimmed by swollen blasts. This histologic similarity between OB and CB indicates that the diagnosis CB should not be made unless the lesion is connected with a tooth.