Introduction
The finding of a mandibular tumor demands a very accurate diagnosis. Not only will the prognosis be determined by its primary or secondary nature, but the treatment is always associated with possible marked functional and cosmetic alterations. This is especially true in children, where a radical mandibular ablation based upon over-diagnosis may, in addition, result in marked facial deformity and asymmetry due to removal of one side of the growing portion of the mandible.
Pathology
The management of a tumor is dependent upon an understanding of its natural history, which, in turn, is based upon its histologic picture. This is brought about by correlating the clinical course of the disease with a specific microscopic pattern in a large series of cases. A further step in successful clinical management is dependent upon a study of the histologic variants of a specific tumor which, if left undisturbed, might at a later