[Considerations on composite odontoma]

Odontoma in most cases presents in the mixed dentition period and can remain for long unrecognised. Asymptomatic during its long latency period, odontoma gives signs of life only in an aspecific way: the absence in the arch of one or more teeth should direct the clinician towards investigations which make it possible to identify the cause, as this may be due to odontomas. Radiography may clearly point to the presence of this lesion and may direct the operator towards surgical/orthodontic treatment so as to restore to the dental arch a tooth that would otherwise have remained included. It is, furthermore, important to remove the lesion, even though it is quite benign, because it is easily subject to septic complications. It should be recalled that it is always necessary to back up clinical with histological diagnosis so as to differentiate the odontoma from other lesions with different prognosis and therapy.