Surgical management of a complex odontoma associated with impacted maxillary first, second, and third molars

Odontomas are mixed odontogenic tumors of the jaws with both epithelial and mesenchymal origins. These tumors usually are small and at times are disregarded; however, there are times when dentists will need to remove such tumors (for example, when they are symptomatic, when they enlarge or impede tooth eruption, when orthodontic treatment is required, or when they are associated with teeth that require removal, such as impacted third molars). Although odontomas are not uncommon and are familiar to practitioners, postsurgical complications may result if dentists are not aware of the potential pitfalls associated with the surgical removal of large maxillary odontomas. This article reports a typical case of a complex odontoma and addresses points and pitfalls concerning surgery to remove maxillary complex odontomas.