Aphthous-like lesions


Aphthous-like lesions are erosive or ulcerative lesions with erythematous margins and a fibrinous surface. They occur as single or multiple lesions, recurring cyclically and they are particularly painful and burning in nature, above all when coming into contact with food or irritating substances. If a diagnosis of primary aphthous stomatitis is excluded, the...

Smoker’s melanosis


Smoker’s melanosis occurs as a dark pigmentation on the mucosa of the oral cavity, particularly the masticatory mucosa of the buccal aspect of the jawbone. The pigmentation is caused in turn by an overproduction of melanin by melanocytes, which are stimulated anomalously. If the patient stops smoking, the pigmentation tends to regress spontaneously over...

Pyogenic granuloma


A pyogenic granuloma is an exophytic lesion (neoformation) which is predominantly inflammatory in nature. It appears as a sessile neoformation, mainly situated on the masticatory mucosa, particularly in the frontal sectors of the oral cavity. It is covered by integral, pink mucosa more rarely red-mauvish with a smooth or lobulated surface. Where its...

Hystoplasmosis


Hystoplasmosis is an infection caused by the fungus Histoplasma capsulatum. The latter causes primitive pulmonary lesions and disseminated histoplasmosis. There can be swelling or ulcers in the oral cavity. Diagnosis is based on isolating the bacterium via an oral biopsy. Treatment is the domain of a pulmonologist.

Smoker’s leukoplakia


Smoker’s leukoplakia are white patches or plaques, which cannot be removed; they are often located at the base of the tongue or on the palate of patients who smoke tobacco and tobacco-related products. An incisional biopsy and histopathological examination should be performed. The patient should also receive counselling to quit smoking; the latter, when...

Erythema multiforme


Erythema multiforme (EM) and correlated disorders (Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis and Lyell’s syndrome) are immune-mediated, muco-cutaneous conditions, which are characterised by a wide range of clinical symptoms with varying degrees of severity. EM mainly affects young adults as teenagers or young adults; 20% of cases concern children. It heals spontaneously and is characterised...

Torus


Torus is a congenital bone neoformation, which is usually bilaterally, presenting on the midline of the palate and/or on ventral mandible (bilateral). It can be totally covered with mucosa and its dimensions are generally less than 2cm in diameter; no treatment is required unless there is trauma or prosthetics are used.