Potentially malignant oral disorder in marginal gingiva: case report

Abstract

Potentially malignant oral disorders can lead to oral cancer. Patients diagnosed with OPMDs have an increased risk of developing oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) when compared to patients with a healthy oral cavity. Based on this, this article aims to report a case of severe epithelial dysplasia in free marginal gingiva, clinically diagnosed as erythroplasia. A 52-year- old female patient presented on physical examination with an ulcerated, sessile, non-bleeding lesion located on the gingival margin of element 13, with a history of relapse. An excisional biopsy of the lesion was carried out and the specimen, measuring 0.7 x 0.5 x 0.4 cm, was sent for histopathological analysis. The result was severe epithelial dysplasia. Although red lesions appear less frequently, this is inversely related to their potential for malignant transformation. In addition, the current literature reports a change in the epidemiological profile, in which there is a predominance of females in the samples. Studies show that the gingiva is the site of most recurrence of OPMD, due to the repopulation of remaining dysplastic cells lodged in the crevicular epithelium. Therefore, prior examination by histopathological analysis is the best option for the correct diagnosis of OPMD, which once found should be monitored frequently.