Ameloblastoma Occurring in the Jawbone: Geoyeo-dong Dental Clinic Explains the Causes and Treatment Methods

Today,

there is one fact that many people do not know,

but should not overlook.

At Geoyeo-dong Yonsei Dagam Dental Clinic,

we would like to share it.

Did you know that

a variety of tumors can occur

inside the jawbone?

Among them, ameloblastoma often grows quietly,

with no pain or obvious symptoms in the early stages,

so it is often discovered late.

During a routine checkup,

a lesion with unclear boundaries was found

in the molar area.

This appeared to be suspicious for ameloblastoma.

What is that?

It is a benign odontogenic tumor that appears during tooth development

and originates from remnants of the cells that form enamel.

It usually occurs in the mandible,

and rarely in the maxilla.

It most often develops in the posterior mandible (molar area)

and is more common in men.

According to recent studies,

it has been found to be related to genetic mutations.

It is not a malignant tumor,

but if left untreated,

it can cause serious problems.

We at Geoyeo-dong Dental Clinic

have summarized what problems can occur.

✔ It grows by gradually destroying the surrounding bone tissue.

This can later cause structural damage.

✔ In severe cases,

deformation of the jawbone can lead to

facial asymmetry or distortion.

✔ As the tumor grows,

the teeth may shift or fall out.

✔ If it is not completely removed,

the recurrence rate is high

(usually 15–25%, depending on the type).

If regular checkups had become a habit,

it might have been found quickly,

but most ameloblastomas grow slowly

and are asymptomatic in the early stages,

so they are often discovered late.

Appearance with no symptoms

Like the Geoyeo-dong Dental Clinic case,

it does not appear on the outside at all

and grows inside the bone,

so it is difficult to know from the outside

unless an X-ray is taken.

Therefore, once the tumor grows

and begins to compress major nerves,

it is often only then discovered through examination.

For this reason, it is often found incidentally

during regular checkups or

radiographic examinations done for other purposes.

In the case discovered at Geoyeo-dong Dental Clinic,

there was no particular discomfort at the time,

but in the case of a lesion with unclear boundaries,

we judged that it would be best to have a biopsy

at a higher-level hospital

and check whether there were any abnormalities,

so we made a referral.

When something like this happens,

people often worry a lot.

For now, do not worry too much,

and we recommend visiting a university hospital

with a relaxed mind.

As a result of the referral made by Geoyeo-dong Dental Clinic,

after the biopsy, it was diagnosed

that it was indeed ameloblastoma.

Although ameloblastoma is benign,

it is highly invasive and has a high chance of recurrence,

so surgical excision is generally recommended as treatment.

In addition, periodic examinations are needed

to check whether it recurs.

We will explain how it is treated

at Geoyeo-dong Dental Clinic.

Treatment is determined by considering the tumor’s size, location, type,

and the patient’s age.

The important thing is that simple curettage alone

has a high recurrence rate,

so excision with an appropriate safety margin is recommended.

In this case,

the ameloblastoma was removed after tooth extraction.

If part of the bone, including the safety margin,

is removed together,

the jawbone may also be reconstructed through bone grafting.

After about one month of clear recovery,

once the bone is stabilized,

we plan to restore the missing area

with implants.

Depending on the tumor’s size and location,

it can affect the patient’s quality of life,

so early detection and proper treatment are important.

Because there are no symptoms in the early stage,

it may be noticed late,

but with proper diagnosis and treatment,

good outcomes can be expected.

If you are worried that you may have a similar problem,

we recommend getting a checkup.

This was Yonsei Dagam Dental Clinic in Geoyeo-dong.

Thank you.

2024.04.25~ongoing