Odontogenic tumors: a study of 250 cases in an Indian teaching hospital

Studies on odontogenic tumors published from many parts of the world show a distinct geographic variation. But there is little information available in the English-language literature on the relative frequency of odontogenic tumors in India. This retrospective study was designed to determine the relative frequency of odontogenic tumors in an Indian teaching hospital and compare them with various reports from other parts of the world.

The pathology records of the Department of Oral Pathology, Nair Hospital Dental College, from January 1971 to December 2006 were reviewed retrospectively, and based on World Health Organization classifications, 1992, we reclassified and analyzed the odontogenic tumors. The mandible and maxilla were divided into 7 anatomic regions, and the distribution of each odontogenic tumor among these regions was recorded and analyzed.

A total of 250 cases of odontogenic tumors were reported in the 36-year period. Of these cases, 98.8% of the tumors were benign. The most frequent histologic type was ameloblastoma (61.5%), followed by adenomatoid odontogenic tumor (12.4%) and myxomas (6%). Odontomas, which are reported as the most frequent odontogenic tumor in American and European case reports, only accounted for 6%. In general, the odontogenic tumors showed a predilection for the mandible and the posterior regions of the jaws. Ameloblastomas occurred with a marked predilection for the mandible with a ratio of 18.1:1. But adenomatoid odontogenic tumor showed predilection for the maxilla, anterior regions of the jaws, and young females.

Odontogenic tumors show a definite geographic variation. In India, ameloblastoma and adenomatoid odontogenic tumor are the most frequent odontogenic tumors, with distinct anatomic predilections.