Peripheral ameloblastoma: case report

Ameloblastoma is a benign tumour of the odontogenic tissues which may be aggressive in the involved area with a high rate of recurrence if not adequately removed, and represents 1% of all tumours of the mouth, generally appearing in the bones of the jaw. Although it is fairly rare, tumours with such histopathology have been described in the soft tissue and are named peripheral or extraosseus ameloblastoma. Potential cells of origin are ondontogenic residue of the dental lamina, pluripotent cells in the basal layer of the epithelial mucosa, and pluripotent cells of the minor salivary glands. Seven cases of extraosseus ameloblastoma in the extragengival area, unrelated to dental germs, have been described, six of which in the buccal mucosa and one in the mouth floor. We report a case of extraossous, extragengival ameloblastoma which originated in the subzygomatic area.