Analysis of silver stained nucleolar organizing regions in odontogenic cysts and tumors.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to investigate the probable differences in cell proliferation index of odontogenic cysts and tumors by means of a comparative silver stained nucleolar organizing region (AgNOR) quantification. STUDY DESIGN: This descriptive cross-sectional study was done on archival paraffin blocks (n = 62), consisting of 10 odontogenic keratocysts, 10 dentigerous cysts, 10 radicular cysts, 10 conventional ameloblastomas, 10 adenomatoid odontogenic tumors, 10 calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumors and 2 ameloblasic carcinomas. RESULTS: The mean AgNOR count of odontogenic cysts was 1.709 and the benign odontogenic tumors was 1.862. Highest AgNOR count was recorded in odontogenic keratocyst and lowest was seen in radicular cyst. Statistically significant difference in AgNOR counts of ameloblastoma and adenomatoid odontogenic tumor, amelobalastoma and calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumor, benign odontogenic tumors and ameloblastic carcinoma were seen. AgNORs in ameloblastic carcinoma were more in number and more widely spread. CONCLUSION: AgNOR technique may be considered a good indicator of cell proliferation in odontogenic cysts and tumors.

Osteochondroma of the palate: An interesting and an unusual case presentation.

A 40-year-old Indian male patient was referred to the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery with a slowly enlarging intra-oral, right-sided palatal swelling of one-year duration, with a previous diagnosis of osteochondroma. Extraorally, patient presented with a mild right-sided facial swelling. On intraoral examination, the palatal swelling was extending from the distal aspect of canine to the distal aspect of second molar with involvement of the maxillary tuberosity. The swelling was non-tender, bony-hard in consistency and covered by normal mucosa. The medical history was non-contributory with no relevant family history of any skeletal disease. Despite the attempt for complete removal of the tumor previously, it recurred within six months. The present article reports an extremely rare clinical case of endosteal (central) osteochondroma, manifesting itself as a radiopaque mass in the right posterior aspect of the palate.