Clinical and radiological features of odontogenic myxoma of the jaws.

OBJECTIVES: To analyse critically the clinical and radiological features of odontogenic myxoma. METHODS: The clinical features of 164 cases of odontogenic myxoma (two new and 162 from the literature) and the radiological features of 96 cases (two new and 94 from the literature) were analysed. RESULTS: Most of the tumors (75%) were diagnosed in the 2nd to 4th decades. The male to female ratio was 1:1.5. Tumors were located in the mandible in two-thirds and in the maxilla one-third of cases. A multilocular appearance was observed in 55% and unilocular in 36%; 9% were not loculated. There was a statistically significant correlation (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 tumors were associated with an unerupted tooth. CONCLUSIONS: Odontogenic myxoma has a variable clinical and radiological appearance and it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of radiolucent and mixed radiolucent-radiopaque lesions of both jaws in all age groups.