Ameloblastoma is a benign odontogenic tumor accounting for 1% of all tumors
of the maxilla and mandibula. The mandibula is committed in 85% of the
cases. The tumor is locally invasive, able to infiltrate bone marrow spaces,
without radiographic or macroscopic evidence. High recurrence rates are
associated with different surgical techniques, which range from simple tumoral
enucleation to extensive resections. The authors report a case of a 26-year
old female patient with an 8-year history of progressive, non-tender, swelling
of the left mandibular region. The intraoral examination showed that the floor
of mouth was raised on the left side by a bulging along the bottom of the left
mandibular vestibule as well as the lingual region. Over this area, there were
ulcerated areas in the alveolar region of the molars and mucosal fenestration
in the alveolar and lingual regions were present. A panoramic radiography
revealed a multicystic lesion, resembling the soap-bubble shape endosseous
lesion. The computed tomography revealed an expandable multicystic lesion
compromising both mandibular cortices. The patient underwent a biopsy,
which revealed the diagnosis of a multicystic variant of Ameloblastoma,
with plexiform pattern, treated with left mandibular resection and immediate
installation of a customized prosthesis. After a year of follow-up, no evidence
of the tumor relapse was evidenced.
