Intraosseous pleomorphic adenoma of the mandible: report of a case and review of the literature

Salivary gland tumors constitute approximately 3% of all head and neck tumors. The most common neoplasm involving both major and minor salivary glands is pleomorphic adenoma. Salivary gland tumors are also known to develop within jawbones probably arising from ectopic salivary tissue. Pleomorphic adenomas arising within the jaws as primary central lesions are extremely rare with only a few cases reported. Clinically and radiographically these may resemble lesions of odontogenic origin. We present a rare case of intraosseous pleomorphic adenoma of the mandible mimicking a lateral periodontal cyst along with an extensive review of literature.