Compound odontoma causing impaction of primary tooth in a 4-year-old child: case report

Objective: to report a rare case of impaction of a primary mandibular incisor due to the presence of a compound odontoma and describe its clinical management. Case report: a 4-year-old boy presented with a“missing” primary left mandibular lateral incisor. Radiographs showed impaction of the unerupted incisorby adjacent radiopaque structures consistent with a compound odontoma. The patient was recalled periodically for 2 years, at which time surgical excision was performed. The diagnosis of compound odontoma was confirmed histologically, and the permanent mandibular central incisors erupted uneventfully; the patient was referred for orthodontic treatment. Final considerations: this case report describes an unusual case of compound odontoma associated with an unerupted deciduous tooth; odontomas are rare in this age range, occurring predominantly in the second decade of life and in association with impaction of permanent teeth. We also propose a protocol for clinical management of such early-onset cases.