A case involving the spontaneous reduction of an ameloblastic fibroma

Yasuaki Mekaru (Department of Dentistry, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Okinawa Prefectural Chubu Hospital, Okinawa, Japan)
Ueda Gousei (Department of Dentistry, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Okinawa Prefectural Chubu Hospital, Okinawa, Japan)
Higa Tsutomu (Department of Dentistry, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Okinawa Prefectural Nanbu Medical Center & Children's Medical Center, Okinawa, Japan)
Kouchi Masato (Department of Dentistry, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Okinawa Prefectural Nanbu Medical Center & Children's Medical Center, Okinawa, Japan)
Tatetsu Masaharu (Department of Dentistry, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Okinawa Prefectural Miyako Hospital, Okinawa, Japan)
Irei Mitsutaka (Department of Dentistry, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Okinawa Prefectural Chubu Hospital, Okinawa, Japan)

Journal of Dentomaxillofacial Science
Vol. 2 No. 3 (2017): (Available online: 1 December 2017)

Objective: Ameloblastic fibroma is an uncommon type of mixed odontogenic tumor. It is caused by the growth of the odontogenic epithelium and mesenchymal tissue and can have adverse effects on the formation of dental structures. It usually arises in the mandible, but cases involving the mandibular ramus are rare.Methods: Here, we report a case of ameloblastic fibroma in the right mandibular ramus involving a 15-year-old male patient. According to panoramic X-ray examinations, the tumor shrank spontaneously in the 3 years before surgery (from approximately 80mm×55mmto 50mm×25mm).Results: A histological evaluation revealed the proliferation of odontogenic epithelial tissue and mesenchymal elements. The Ki-67 index of the lesion was 0%.Conclusion: Cases of ameloblastic fibroma involving patients aged ≥ 22 years old are very likely to recur and undergo malignant changes.