Pathology and Dentistry

Introduction

The article titled, Odontogenic and Developmental Oral lesions in Pediatric Patients, by Bilodeau and Hunter (2021) is essentially a review of ondogenesis and how oral lesions develop in the jaw region among pediatric patients. The article further provides information on pathogenesis of odontogenic tumors, their prognosis, microscopic features and how they present clinically. While this article explains how oral lesions are developed in children, it fails to exhaust on all odontogenic and developmental oral lesions.

This article highlights the various odontogenic lesions in pediatrics by indicating that most of them are benign. According to Freilich (2020), the said lesions consist of malignant odontogenic tumors, benign odontogenic tumors, and cysts. It is from the tissues that give rise to teeth that lesions are formed. Most lesions are common while others are rare - which makes diagnostic process uncertain (Hunter and Niklander, 2020). The authors further highlight the different oral lesions in pediatrics, their clinical presentation, and histological features. The odontogenic lesions in young children and infants are inclusive of, but they are not limited to, cysts of the foregut region, choristoma/heterotopia, Melanotic Neuroectodermal Tumor, Congenital (Granular) Epulis of the Newborn, and Dental Lamina Cysts/Gingival Cysts of the Newborn. Lesions associated with eruptive teeth are inclusive of; Buccal Bifurcation Cyst/Inflammatory Collateral Cyst, Odontogenic Keratocyst Cyst/Keratocystic Odontogenic Tumor, Dentigerous Cyst, Eruption Cyst, and Hyperplastic Dental Follicle. Odontogenic Hamartomas and tumors are inclusive of; Primordial Odontogenic Tumor, Adenomatoid Odontogenic Tumor, Ameloblastoma, Ameloblastic Fibroma, and Odontoma (Bilodeau and Hunters, 2021).

Analysis

Focusing on the strengths, the authors of the article were objective given that they based their arguments on facts that are from reports of diagnosis which uses biopsy as a tool for diagnosis of oral lesions. The authors indicate that, in general, 8.2% of oral biopsies are received from patients less than 16 years of age (71). The title of the article is unambiguous and clear given that it describes what will...…For example the authors point out that more information on choristomas will be discussed in head and neck pediatric pathology. Also, the authors fail to give meaning to some abbreviations used in the article. This is especially crucial owing to the fact that some readers may not be familiar with some of the terms used in this realm. For example, the authors do not give the full meaning of abbreviations such as FGF, MNETI, GFAP, and NRAS.

Conclusion

Odontogenic lesions are prevalent in infants and young children. An assessment of this nature is important in identifying these lesions at an early age, and may be of even greater relevance to pediatric dentists. This is more so the case in seeking to further enhance their understanding of how odontogenic tumors develop. The present study also indicates the need for practicing pathologists to be conversant with how maxillofacial region is formed. In so doing, they would be able to diagnose various developmental and odontogenic…