Adenomatoid odontogenic tumor in association with dentigerous cyst: An enigma

The odontogenic tissue surrounding an impacted tooth is a harbinger of a wide variety of odontogenic cysts and tumors. As these hamartomatous and neoplastic aberrations can occur at any stage of odontogenesis, therefore combined features of odontogenic tumors with epithelial and mesenchymal components can develop within the odontogenic cysts. One of the odontogenic cysts is the dentigerous cyst (DC) which is not only the most common developmental odontogenic cyst arising from the pericoronal tissue but is of great clinical significance owing to its neoplastic potential and association with other rare odontogenic tumors. We herein describe an unusual case of adenomatoid odontogenic tumor which developed secondary to a DC in a 22-year-old female and created a diagnostic conundrum. The approach to such a case, differential diagnosis, and review of the literature is also presented.