General Considerations

•odontogenic tumors arise from dental lamina and may arise from either dental epithelium or nests of epithelial cells

•odontogenic tumors account for 2.4% of feline oral tumors with all cats < 18 months

•odontogenic tumors are benign and do not metastasize

•classification of epithelial odontogenic tumors: inductive and non-inductive

•classification is based on ability of tumor to induce a stromal reaction in adjacent connective tissue

Inductive Epithelial Odontogenic Tumors

General Considerations

•types: ameloblastic fibroma, dentinoma, and ameloblastic complex and compound odontoma

Inductive Fibroameloblastoma

•rare

•signalment: young (6-18 months) and male

•location: rostral to and including canine tooth of either the mandible or maxilla (common)

•benign but causes variable degree of bone destruction, production, and expansion

•teeth deformity is common

•treatment: mandibulectomy or maxillectomy, surgical debulking, cryosurgery, or radiation therapy

•good control rates with aggressive therapy

•adjunctive radiation therapy has been used with good results in 3 cats with incompletely excised tumors

•metastasis has not reported

Odontoma

•odontomas are rare and benign tumors arising from dental follicle during the early stages of tooth development

•odontoma is diagnosed when there is evidence of induction of both enamel and dentin

•odontoma is intraosseous and locally invasive but does not metastasize

•treatment: surgical debulking and cryosurgery or wide surgical excision

Non-Inductive Epithelial Odontogenic Tumors

General Considerations

•types: ameloblastoma and calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumor

Ameloblastoma

•ameloblastoma is often confused with acanthomatous epulis due to similar histologic characteristics

•ameloblastoma is intraosseous and locally invasive but does not metastasize

•treatment: mandibulectomy or maxillectomy, surgical debulking, cryosurgery, or radiation therapy

•2-year mean survival time following radiation therapy in dogs

Calcifying Epithelial Odontogenic Tumor

•calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumor is a benign and rare tumor of the tooth-forming apparatus

•calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumors produce a mineralized substance and amyloid

•biologic behaviour: slow invasion of adjacent tissue resulting in osteolysis or deformation of mandible or maxilla

•treatment: mandibulectomy or maxillectomy