DISCUSSION:
The term “odontome” was first coined by Broca in 1866. It is defined as “growth in which both the epithelial and connective tissue components exhibit complete differentiation, with the result that functional ameloblasts and odontoblasts form enamel and dentin”. This lesion takes place because, dental components are laid down in a disorganized manner, due to failure of normal morphodifferentiation. Odontomas are of two types, the complex and the compound odontoma.3 The distinction between complex and composite odontomas is arbitrary, being based on the preponderance of well-organized denticles as opposed to a preponderance of disorganised dental tissues rather than on any absolute difference.4, 5
COMPLEX ODONTOMA: The WHO classification defines this lesion as follows: “A malformation in which all the dental tissues are represented, individual tissues being mainly well formed but occurring in a more or less disorderly pattern”.4 Clinical features: The relative frequency of complex odontoma among odontogenic tumors vary between 5% and 30% which means that this lesion is one of the most commonest odontogenic lesion/malformation, only superseded in frequency by the compound odontoma, which is 9% to 37%. The majority of cases (83.9%) occur before the age of 30 with a peak in the 2nd decade of life. The male:female ratio varies between 1.5:1 to 1.6:1. 5