title: Ameloblastoma located in the alveolar bone: a case report.
abstract: A small ameloblastoma located in the alveolar bone of a 34-year-old male is presented. Clinical examination revealed slight swelling of the alveolar bone between the lower second premolar and first molar areas with bone-like hardness, and radiographic examination showed a well circumscribed radiolucent lesion surrounded by a thin radiopaque layer, within which was contained the root of the second premolar tooth. Histopathologically, the lesion was compatible with a diagnosis of follicular ameloblastoma. A review of the literature yielded only four cases of small ameloblastoma located in the alveolar bone. These four previously reported cases and the present case strongly suggest that a small ameloblastoma located in the alveolar bone of adults arises from Malassez's epithelial rests scattered in the periodontal membrane.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry, Iwate Medical University, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takeda
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000539:Alveolar Process / Q000473:pathology; D000564:Ameloblastoma / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008339:Mandibular Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D009807:Odontogenic Cysts