Clinicopathological and Demographic Characteristics of 171 Cases of Ameloblastoma: A 40-Year Retrospective Institutional Study in Maharashtra

Abstract

Objectives: Ameloblastoma (AM) is the most common benign odontogenic neoplasm. Changing trends and geographic variation necessitate the conduction of periodic demographic studies to update the existing demographic data pertaining to AM. The present research aims to further append the existing yet limited demographic data available on AM in India. Materials and Method: One hundred and seventy-one cases of AM were identified out of 7862 departmental archival cases from 1980 to 2020. Demographic variables, clinical and radiographic features, as well as histopathological variants of AM were recorded and compiled. The various histopathological variants of AM were described according to their occurrence in different genders, age groups, and sites. Results: An overall incidence rate of AM among all oral lesions was found to be 2.18% of head and neck lesions. About 61.40% (n = 105) of cases comprised conventional AM (CAM), of which plexiform AM (21.64%) was the most common histopathological variant observed, whereas unicystic AM (UAM) constituted 37.43% (n = 64) of the cases. About 86% of cases occurred in the mandible, particularly, in the posterior region (83.62%). Multilocular radiolucency was the most frequent radiographic mode of presentation in about 54.97% of the cases while 36.25% of cases presented as unilocular radiolucency. Conclusion: AM constitutes about 2.24% of all head and neck lesions with a mean age of occurrence of 35.84 years. The luminal variant was found to be most common in cases of UAM, whereas plexiform was the most common variant observed in CAM. AM has a predilection to occur in the third decade and in males and exhibits a marked propensity to occur in the mandibular posterior region.