Odontoma-like tumours of squirrel elodont incisors--elodontomas

Abstract

Since 2003, nine squirrels were presented at a South African veterinary dental practice with lesions in the maxilla consistent with the clinical, radiological and histological features of odontomas as described in prairie dogs, rats and mice. These odontoma-like masses have not previously been described in squirrels. This report describes the clinico-pathological features and possible pathogenesis of the lesions and proposes the term "elodontoma" for these hamartomatous odontogenic lesions in the jaws of animals with continuously erupting (elodont) teeth.