It is well documented that giant cells can be observed in some types of odontogenic tumors such as central odontogenic tumor and dentinogenic ghost cell tumor. However, the presence of stromal giant cells has only rarely been reported in ameloblastoma, although being the most common epithelial odontogenic tumor. In this study, we present a novel case of peripheral ameloblastoma associated with peripheral giant cell granuloma arising in the mandibular alveolar mucosa of a 65-year-old male patient. The possible pathogenesis of this combined lesion will be discussed, in addition to the review of previous reports of ameloblastoma accompanied by stromal giant cells.

Peripheral ameloblastoma, a rare and unusual variant of odontogenic tumor, representing 1% of all ameloblastomas. The extraosseous location is the peculiar feature of this type of tumor, which is otherwise similar to the classical ameloblastoma. This paper describes a case of peripheral ameloblastoma in a 43-year-old female affecting the left retromolar pad area of the mandible which was clinically diagnosed as a pyogenic granuloma. Histologically, the tumor showed of follicular ameloblastoma in continuity with a surface oral epithelium.

Dentinogenic ghost cell tumor (DGCT) is a rare neoplasm, representing 1.9% to 2.1% of all odontogenic tumors. Peripheral DGCT is a rare tumor with only 25 cases previously described in the English literature. The majority of cases have been reported to occur in the anterior part of the jaws. A rare case of peripheral DGCT is reported, located in the lingual side of the anterior mandible of a 68-year-old man. The patient presented a pedunculated painless growth of 1.5cm in diameter. Radiographically, no bone involvement was found. The lesion was excised and histologically characterized by islands of epithelial cells showing ameloblastoma-like features within fibrous background tissue. Dysplasic dentin and ghost cells with calcifications were frequently observed. Areas showing a connection between tumor cells and the overlying mucosa were also identified.