Dental follicular hamartomas in the opercula of teeth delayed in eruption: A case report and review of the literature

Odontogenic lesions of hamartomatous origin may occasionally result in delayed tooth eruption. However, the lack of a universally accepted terminology for such lesions may hinder their recognition. We present a case showing delay in the eruption of permanent mandibular second molars bilaterally; histopathologic examination of the excised opercula revealed features reminiscent of peripheral odontogenic fibroma with an abundance of stellate giant cells. After review and analysis of the pertinent literature, the lesions were diagnosed as dental follicular hamartomas to reflect their odontogenic (dental follicular) origin and hamartomatous nature.