Experimental odontogenic tumors produced by ethylnitrosourea injections and mechanical injuries

The present study was carried out to investigate odontogenic tumor induction in the rats by injections of carcinogen N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) coupled with incisional wounds. The animals which received local injections of ENU in the region of incisor tooth germ of the right mandible every other day for 19 days after birth coupled with incisional wounding in the same region at 2 and 8 days, developed odontogenic carcinomas. However, the animals which were given local injections of ENU in the region of incisor tooth germ but did not receive incisional wounds, showed no pathologic changes. The animals which received both local injections of physiologic salt solution and incisional wounds in the same manner as mentioned above, did not exhibit any pathologic changes. The present results indicate that local administration of carcinogen ENU coupled with mechanical injuries, namely incisional wounding, caused the production of odontogenic carcinomas in the incisor region of the mandible in rats.