Odontogenic myxoma in the paediatric patient: a review of eight cases

Paediatric odontogenic myxoma (OM) is a rare pathological condition in the oral and maxillofacial region. There has been much debate in the literature regarding the preferred method of treatment; however due to the rare nature of this disease, definitive algorithms of management are yet to be determined. A case series of eight paediatric patients with OM is presented. Six of the lesions were in the maxilla and two were mandibular lesions. The patients were aged between 2 and 18 years. Treatment ranged from excision and the application of Carnoy's solution to segmental resection and reconstruction. From this case series it can be seen that even in situations where treatment was limited to excision and the application of Carnoy's solution, no recurrences occurred. As such the present authors favour an initially more conservative approach to the management of these lesions where possible and reserving conventional resective treatment for recurrences, lesions causing pathological fracture, and those in regions that are difficult to access.