Conservative surgical treatment of odontogenic myxoma with preservation of the inferior alveolar nerve

Abstract Owing to a high recurrence rate, radical jaw resection is regarded as the first choice of treatment for odontogenic myxoma. However, there have been several reports on the effectiveness of conservative surgical treatment preserving inferior alveolar nerve for odontogenic myxoma of the mandible. A 37-year-old woman presented with a complaint of pain around her mandibular left third molar. Odontogenic myxoma was diagnosed by using biopsy. The tumor occupied a part of the cortical bone and contained the inferior alveolar nerve. We performed enucleation and curettage, which preserved the inferior alveolar nerve. Ten years after the treatment, there were no symptoms of recurrence or nerve paralysis. Here, we discuss the conservative treatment of odontogenic myxoma, focusing on inferior alveolar nerve preservation.