Mayo Clinic specialists collaborate to deliver comprehensive care to patients who have ameloblastoma. Treatment teams include otorhinolaryngologists (ear, nose, and throat specialists), oral and maxillofacial (jaw and face) surgeons, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, and plastic and reconstructive surgeons. Through a highly collaborative approach, the teams use technologically advanced diagnostic tools to plan and deliver treatment.
Physicians use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and other high-resolution images to diagnose ameloblastoma. Read more about ameloblastoma diagnosis.
When a Mayo Clinic physician recommends surgery for an ameloblastoma, experienced oral pathologists work alongside surgeons. Together, they calculate how much tissue to remove so they can best prevent the ameloblastoma from returning. Surgeons sometimes recommend alternative or additional treatment, such as radiation and/or chemotherapy. Read more about ameloblastoma treatment.
These rare tumors are typically benign. Ameloblastoma develops in the jaw, often at the site of the third molar, and may involve tissue from the eye sockets or sinuses. They are formed from remnants of cells that, under normal circumstances, develop into tooth enamel. Long-term follow-up is necessary because ameloblastomas tend to recur.
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