CLINICAL AND RADIOLOGICAL FEATURES OF ODONTOGENIC MYXOMA OF THE JAWS

Objectives: To analyse critically the clinical and radiological featur es of odontogenic myxoma. Method: The clinical features of 164 cases o f odontogenic myxoma (two new and 162 from the literature) and the rad iological features of 96 cases (two new and 94 from the literature) we re analysed. Results: Most of the tumors (75%) were diagnosed in the 2 nd to 4th decades. The male to female ratio was 1:1.5. Tumors were loc ated in the mandible in two-thirds and in the maxilla one-third of cas es, A multilocular appearance was observed in 55% and unilocular in 36 %; 9% were not loculated. There was a statistically significant correl ation (P<0.000) between the size of the lesion and its locularity with the larger lesions more likely to be multilocular. Only 5% of the tum ors were associated with an unerupted tooth. Conclusions: Odontogenic myxoma has a variable clinical and radiological appearance and it shou ld be considered in the differential diagnosis of radiolucent and mixe d radiolucent-radiopaque lesions of both jaws in all age groups.