Conservative Management of Unicystic Ameloblastoma in Young Patients: A Prospective Single-Center Trial and Review of Literature.

AIMS: The study intends to evaluate the clinical outcome of treating young patients of unicystic ameloblastoma, by various conservative treatment modalities such as marsupialization, enucleation with bone curettage and aid in establishing sound treatment guidelines. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A case series of fifteen patients is presented of unicystic ameloblastoma, who presented to our Department over the past 6 years (2010-2015) and conservative method of treatment elected in all the patients. Also, a methodical literature review of studies discussing treatment of unicystic ameloblastoma in young age group (<20 years) patients over the last 15 years from 2001 to 2015 is added. RESULTS: Faster osseous regeneration after conservative treatment was noted, owing to the young age and growth potential. Over a mean follow-up of 4 years, uneventful secondary healing, no clinical or radiographic evidence of recurrence and no apparent deformity were noted in any of the cases. CONCLUSION: Unicystic ameloblastoma is a benign, locally invasive odontogenic neoplasm of young age which can develop during the stage of tooth formation and hence its early inception and vast proliferation is not uncommon in this age group, due to which it can grow into a huge lesion causing significant morbidity. Conservative surgical management may be a viable option to reduce morbidity and increase the probability of uneventful secondary healing and bone regeneration in the younger population.