extrafollicular cystic adenomatoid odontogenic tumor misdiagnosed as glandular odontogenic cyst

Adenomatoid odontogenic tumor (aot) is a benign slowgrowing, asymptomatic epithelial odontogenic neoplasm. this lesion has been known for its varied clinical and histoarchitectural patterns. most aots occur intraosseously in the anterior maxilla associated with the unerupted tooth. clinically, aot is sometimes misdiagnosed as an odontogenic cyst. although enucleation and curettage for aot is the most common treatment modality, accurate histopathological diagnosis is essential to avoid unnecessary extensive surgery. here, we present a rare challenging case of an extrafollicular cystic adenomatoid odontogenic tumor occurring in the body of the mandible in a 23yearold female patient, which was diagnosed clinically and radiographically as glandular odontogenic cyst. the diagnosis of adenomatoid odontogenic tumor was confirmed through histopathological examination.