Wittstock Craig, Christofides Efthimios, Chait Laurence
University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa.
Cleft Palate Craniofac J. 2009 Mar;46(2):212-4. doi: 10.1597/07-138.1. Epub 2008 Apr 11.
Congenital intraoral tumors derived from embryological germ layers are very rare. These lesions include teratomas, dermoids, epignathi, and teratoid tumors. These embryological neoplasms may interfere with normal development and elevation of the palatal shelves, resulting in a cleft palate. We report the case of a patient with an intraoral teratoma associated with a hemipalate deformity and describe the treatment that was carried out. The classification and sometimes the confusing terminology associated with these lesions are discussed, as are the principles of managing them.