title: Clinical and histopathological investigation of odontomas: review of the literature and presentation of 160 cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the clinical and histopathologic aspects of different types of odontomas.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred sixty odontoma cases sent to the Institute of Oncology, Department of Tumor Pathology, Istanbul University from 1971 through 2010 were investigated. These tumors were compared by age of patient, gender of patient, localization, histopathologic type, clinical diagnosis, and clinical and microscopic features.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Odontomas were classified histopathologically as complex, compound, or mixed. Of all investigated cases, 99 were complex, 57 were compound, and 4 were mixed odontomas. The mean age at diagnosis was 27.9 years, and odontomas were diagnosed most frequently at 10 to 19 years of age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  From the perspective of community health, the presence of odontomas within the jaws is important because these constitute 21% to 67% of all odontogenic tumors. The present study showed 2 interesting findings that differed from previous studies. These are the lower incidence rate of odontomas within the category of odontogenic tumors and the higher incidence of complex odontomas over compound odontomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Tumor Pathology, Institute of Oncology, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey. msoluk@istanbul.edu.tr
authors.forename: Merva
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soluk Tekkesin
authors.forename: Sevim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pehlivan
authors.forename: Vakur
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Olgac
authors.forename: Nihan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Aksakallı
authors.forename: Canan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Alatli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007573:Jaw Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009810:Odontoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult