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Epidemiological data on the distribution of oral and maxillofacial diseases present in early childhood are scarce in the literature. This study analyzed the frequency of lesions biopsied in this region in children aged 0 to 3 years and sent for histopathological analysis in a reference oral pathology laboratory . Histopathological diagnostic data, lesion location, sex, and age were collected. Of the total of 93,950 records, 250 cases (0.27%) belonged to the age group from 0 to 3 years old. The most frequently diagnosed oral alterations were: mucocele (34/250; 13.6%); papilloma (11/250; 4.4%), giant cell fibroma (6/250; 2.4%), pyogenic granuloma (5/250; 2%) and hemangioma (3/250; 1.2%). The lip was the most affected site, followed by the gingiva and the tongue. These results generate information on the lesions most frequently diagnosed in early childhood, which facilitates the process of diagnosis and, consequently, treatment., (© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Oral mucocele (OM) is the most common lesion of minor salivary glands. The present study aimed to report the clinical and demographic features of a large series of OMs and identify possible predictive variables associated with the recurrence rate of these lesions. A retrospective descriptive cross-sectional study was performed. A total of 43,754 biopsy records from four pathology services in Brazil were analyzed. All cases of OMs were reviewed, and clinical and demographic data were collected. The study comprised 1,002 females (56.2%) and 782 males (43.8%), with a mean age of 19.8±16.4 years (range: 01-87 years) and a 1.3:1 female-to-male ratio. The lower lip (n=1,160; 67.4%), and floor of the mouth (n=172; 10.0%), were the most common affected sites, presenting clinically as nodules (n=978; 79.4%) of smooth surface (n=428; 77.5%) and normal color (n=768, 46.7%). Excisional biopsy was the treatment in most cases (n=1,392; 78.0%). Recurrent OMs represented 6.2% of all diagnosed cases (n=117). OMs recurred more commonly in younger patients (aged<20 years) (p<0.0001), in lesions larger than 2 cm in diameter (p<0.0001), and in those located in the ventral tongue (p=0.0351). Also, recurrence rates were higher significantly in cases treated with laser surgery than in those with conventional surgery (p=0.0005). Patients with OMs should be carefully informed of its possible recurrence, especially when found on the ventral tongue of young patients.

Background/aim: Dermoscopy is a diagnostic tool that assists in imaging the epidermis and dermis. Although it has also started to be used to diagnose nonmelanocytic lesions recently, it has not been tested much on oral mucosal masses, such as oral mucoceles. This study aimed to investigate whether dermoscopy is a valuable tool in diagnosing oral mucoceles., Materials and Methods: In this study, the clinical and dermoscopic features of 21 oral mucocele lesions of 21 patients (11 females, 10 males) aged between 6 and 38 years who were confirmed histopathologically were evaluated., Results: Of the lesions studied, 95.2% (20) were extravasation and 4.8% (1) were retention mucoceles. The nonvascular structures were determined as white areas (61.9%, 13), erythema (57.1%, 12), purplish-gray background (52.3%, 11), ulcer (30%, 8), yellowish- orange areas (23.8%, 5), crust (14.2%, 3), starburst pattern (0.95%, 2), and bleeding (0.47%, 1). Dermoscopically, 40% of extravasation mucoceles were classified as type 1 (8 patients), 25% as type 2 (5 patients), and 35% as type 3 (7 patients)., Conclusion: We concluded that there are 3 types of extravasation mucoceles dermoscopically and clinically, and these types may be stages of transition between each other., Competing Interests: None declared., (This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.)

Oral mucoceles are lesions arising mainly from the minor salivary glands and are thought to occur after excretory duct trauma. We report a case of multiple superficial oral mucoceles on a child's labial mucosa after Mycoplasma pneumoniae mucositis. Mucoceles can mimic persistent or recurrent stomatitis and lead to potential errors in management., (© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of oral and maxillofacial lesions among children from representative regions of Brazil. A retrospective descriptive study was conducted. Biopsy records comprising the period from 2000 to 2015 were obtained from the archives of three Brazilian oral pathology referral centers. A total of 32,506 biopsy specimens were analyzed, and specimens from 1,706 children aged 0-12 years were selected. Gender, age, anatomical location and histopathological diagnosis were evaluated. Descriptive statistics was carried out. Likelihood ratio tests were used to evaluate the association between the categorical variables. The level of significance was set at 0.05. The post-hoc test was used to identify the subgroups that significantly differed from one another, and the Bonferroni correction was applied. A total of 1,706 oral and maxillofacial lesions were diagnosed in pediatric patients, including 51.9% girls. Oral mucocele was the most prevalent reactive/inflammatory lesion (64%). The most commonly affected sites were the lips (34.5%) and mandible (19.9%). A significant association was observed between age and the group of lesions of the oral cavity (p < 0.001), and between age and anatomical location (p < 0.001). Pediatric oral and maxillofacial lesions were frequent and showed wide diversity, with the prevalence of mucocele. Knowledge of oral lesions is important for pediatric dentists worldwide, since it provides accurate data for the diagnosis and oral health of children.

Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is a systemic chronic autoimmune disorder affecting the lacrimal and salivary glands. SS may manifest as primary SS (pSS) or secondary SS (sSS), the latter occurring in the context of another autoimmune disorder. In both cases, the dry eyes and mouth affect the patient's quality of life. Late complications may include blindness, dental tissue destruction, oral candidiasis and lymphoma. This paper reports two cases of SS, each of them presenting unusual oral nodular lesion diagnosed as relapsed MALT lymphoma and mucocele. The importance of the diagnosis, treatment and management of the oral lesions by a dentist during the care of SS patients is emphasized, as the oral manifestations of SS may compromise the patient's quality of life.

Objectives: To report the prevalence and types of biopsied oral and maxillofacial lesions (OMLs) in South-Western (Jazan Province) region, , Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Methods: This retrospective study was based on the retrieval of clinicopathological data for a period of 6 years between January 2009 and December 2014. These  data were obtained between October 2014 and June 2015 from the histopathology records of King Fahad Central Hospital, Jazan, KSA, which is the only referral center for biopsy services. Results: Out of the 32149 biopsies received, 714 (2.2%) were OMLs. The age ranged from 0 (neonatal) to 100 years, with a mean age of 46.8±23.4 and a male-to-female ratio of 1:1.3. The tongue was the most common site for OMLs and for malignant neoplasms, in particular. The most common category was malignant neoplasm (38.7%), followed by inflammatory lesions (16.5%). Oral malignancies accounted for 15.8% of all malignancies. Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) (36.1%) was the most frequent type, followed by pyogenic granuloma and mucocele (7% each). Shammah-associated OSCC and epithelial dysplasia were twice as common in females. Conclusion: The number of non-malignant OMLs was much lower than expected in comparison to oral malignancies. This difference can likely be explained by the fact that the biopsies were taken only when malignancy was suspected. The higher rate of OSCC reported from this region is attributed to shammah usage. This study emphasizes the importance of biopsy services for all OMLs and the prevention of shammah use.

Mucoceles can occur in the oral cavity, appendix, bladder, paranasal sinuses, and lacrimal sac. In the oral cavity, mucoceles arise from pathological alterations in the minor salivary gland ducts. In this study, we aimed to histologically reevaluate cases of oral mucoceles to identify possible variants. A total of 667 slides containing tissue sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin diagnosed as a phenomenon of mucus extravasation were analyzed under light microscopy by 4 previously trained examiners. In 128 cases (19.1%), 1 or more histopathological changes were identified. Twenty cases (2.9%) exhibited collagenous globular structures compatible with myxoglobulosis. In 30 cases (4.49%), dissociation of collagen fibers after mucin extravasation was observed. Fifty-four cases (8.09%) exhibited papillary synovial metaplasia-like change, and 32 (4.79%) showed a significant reduction in the lumen of the cavity due to large papillae. Twenty cases (2.9%) were compatible with superficial mucoceles, and in 11 cases (1.64%), the foamy macrophages showed an unusual solid arrangement, known as clear cell change. It is essential to recognize the possible histopathological changes in oral mucoceles to avoid diagnostic pitfalls., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Mucoceles are common cystic lesions of the oral mucosa. Extravasation mucoceles (EMs) are mainly found in the lower lip of young patients, whereas retention mucoceles (RMs) are usually located in the cheek or palate of older patients. This study was undertaken to more fully characterize the clinicopathologic features of mucoceles in pediatric patients., Methods: The records of 56 pediatric patients with mucoceles were included in the study. Age, sex, history of trauma, intraoral site, size, and method of treatment were evaluated. Histopathologically the lesions were classified as being EMs or RMs., Results: The age range was 1.5 to 16 years (mean age 11.2 yrs). Of the 56 patients, 24 (43%) were males and 32 (57%) were females, with a male:female ratio of 1:1.33. A history of trauma was recorded in 32 (57%) patients of the lower lip. The intraoral sites were the lower lip (38 [68%]), tongue (10 [18%]), and floor of the mouth (8 [14%]). Of the 56 patients, 44 (79%) were EM and 12 (21%) were ranulas. No RMs were found. Mucoceles ranged from 0.3 to 3.8 cm in diameter (mean 0.9 cm). The treatment of EMs was surgical excision. Cryosurgey, electrosurgery, and carbon dioxide laser were also used., Conclusion: In contrast to adults, where EM and RM types can be found, among children all cases are of the EM type. The disparate site and age incidences of EMs and RMs of the oral mucosa suggest that these two types are not related and possibly have a different etiopathogenesis., (© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Objective: To determine the prevalence of oral and maxillofacial lesions in a Thai pediatric population., Material and Method: Oral biopsy records from pediatric patients between the ages of 0 and 15 years in the files ofFaculty of Dentistry, Mahidol University, and the files of Faculty of Dentistry, Khon Kaen University were reviewed. The patients were divided into three age groups, including 0 to 5, 6 to 10, and 11 to 15 years. Excluding the diagnosis of normal tissues, the oral and maxillofacial lesions were classified into nine categories., Results: Of 13,050 biopsied oral and maxillofacial lesions, 1,389 cases (10.6%) came from pediatric patients. The largest number of lesions was odontogenic cysts and tumors, followed by inflammatory and reactive lesions, and salivary gland pathology The top ten most prevalent lesions contributed 73% of all oral biopsies. The most common lesion was dentigerous cyst, followed by mucocele and pyogenic granuloma., Conclusion: The vast majority of oral diseases in children were benign and related to either developmental or tissue reaction, while malignant lesions were found in a very small proportion of all oral biopsies.

Oral mucoceles are common lesions that normally appear in the second decade of life. They are uncommon in neonates and infants. We present a case of a mucocele in a 10-month-old infant and review the literature regarding the epidemiology and treatment in this age group., (© 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Mucoceles are quite common in the oral cavity, but reports on pediatric patients are very rare. The aims of this study were to present our data and experience in the treatment of mucoceles of the oral cavity in pediatric patients, to compare them with those of other countries, and to remind the pediatric physician to devote much attention to lesions of the oral cavity in children. This retrospective study is based on the record of the patients who received surgical treatment for mucoceles of the oral cavity with pathologic confirmation at the Department of Dentistry, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Taiwan, between 2000 and 2004. Patients younger than 18 years were included in this study. The analyzed data included age, gender, site, size, histopathologic findings, surgical methods, and complications. There were a total of 289 patients with mucoceles confirmed by histopathologic examination. As many as 64 patients were younger than 18 years. Of the 64, 34 were girls and 30 were boys; 89.1% of the lesions were in the lower lip; and 48.4% of the lesions were less than 5mm in diameter. Histopathologic findings showed that all mucoceles were of the extravasation type. As many as 30 patients were treated by carbon dioxide laser vaporization, and two cases recurred (6.67%); 34 patients were treated by surgical excision, and the recurrence rate (5.88%) was not statistically different for the treatment methods. The laser vaporization has the advantage of less bleeding, no sutures, and saving time, especially suitable for children with oral mucocele., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Taiwan LLC. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To study the epidemiology of oral soft tissue lesions in New Zealand from 2002 to 2006 and to determine the concordance between the clinical diagnosis and the definitive histopathologic diagnosis achieved by general dental practitioners and by specialists., Materials and Methods: The details from biopsy referrals and the corresponding histopathologic reports of oral soft tissue lesions were recorded into a statistical software package, and the concordance between the clinical diagnosis and histopathologic diagnosis was determined for all the lesions., Results: Most biopsies were benign lesions, and both clinician groups achieved a high diagnostic concordance for these lesions. However, when considering all lesion types, the overall concordance for both groups was a moderate 50.6%, with little difference between specialists and general dental practitioners, although specialists were more accurate in diagnosing a malignant or premalignant lesion., Conclusions: The clinical and histopathologic concordance achieved by oral health practitioners in New Zealand appears to be moderate., (Copyright © 2011 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The present study was undertaken to evaluate mucoceles in the oral cavity of pediatric patients, including the clinical characteristics, treatment, and progress of the lesions., Patients and Methods: A retrospective study was performed from the medical records of patients (0-14 years old) treated for oral mucoceles between 1998 and 2008 in a reference children's hospital. All subjects with mucoceles on lips, mouth, buccal mucosa, and palate were included. The following data were recorded: age, gender, history of trauma, location, size, progression, time before diagnosis, treatment, histologic type, follow-up time, and recurrence., Results: A total of 89 patients (mean age, 6.1 years) participated in this study. There were 89 mucoceles: 4 were congenital; 79.8% were located on the lower lip; and 69% were larger than 5 mm in diameter. Average progression time was 5.7 months (range, 1-24 months). It was observed that older patients developed more mucoceles on the tongue and lips and younger patients developed more mucoceles on the buccal mucosa and palate. The lesions of 39 subjects resolved spontaneously; 50 were removed but 4 reappeared afterward. Histologically, all lesions were extravasation mucoceles., Conclusion: Mucoceles were more commonly located on the lower lip; 43.8% resolved spontaneously and 8% of the surgically removed mucoceles reappeared., (Copyright © 2010 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Evaluating data of patients affected by oral mucoceles, examined at the Unit of Oral Medicine and Pathology of the University of Milan between January 1994 and December 2008., Study Design: Concise review on oral mucoceles and analysis of the clinical files of patients who underwent excisional biopsy (patient age, medical history, diagnosis, date and site of the biopsy, histopathological diagnosis and recurrences if any)., Results: During the period June 1994-December 2008, 158 mucoceles were observed (93 males and 65 females), with the most frequent site being the lower lip (53%) (p=0.001 by Fisher's test). The mean age of the patients was 31.9 years, with a peak of occurrence in the first four decades of life (75%)., Conclusions: Mucoceles are lesions commonly seen in an oral medicine service, mainly affecting young people and lower lips.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Oral chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease (cGVHD) Activity Assessment Instrument is intended to be simple to use and to provide a reproducible objective measure of disease activity over time. The objective of this study was to assess inter- and intraobserver variability in the component and composite scores in patients evaluated with oral cGVHD. Twenty-four clinicians (bone marrow transplant [BMT] oncologists: BMTE, n = 16; BMT midlevel providers: BMT MLP; n = 4; and oral medicine experts [OME], n = 4), from 6 major transplant centers scored high-quality intraoral photographs of 12 patients. The same photographs were evaluated 1 week later by the same evaluators. An intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to calculate intrarater reliability and interrater agreement was analyzed using a weighted kappa statistic: 0 or=0.90) and highest for ulcers (0.97, 0.85, 0.94). Although 75% of OME were comfortable with their abilities to score the cases, approximately 50% of BMTE and BMT MLP were uncomfortable. The majority felt that their evaluations were accurate; however, 84% agreed that formal training is required. Interrater variability of the oral cGVHD instrument is unacceptable for the purposes of clinical trials. Greater concordance among OME, high intrarater reliability, and participant feedback suggests that formal training may significantly decrease variability. Parallel investigations must be completed using the other organ specific instruments prior to any revision and widespread prospective utilization of these tools as research endpoints., (Copyright (c) 2010 American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a common complication among allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant recipients. Chronic GVHD (cGVHD) has numerous clinical manifestations and the oral cavity is almost always involved. Common oral manifestations include diffuse mucosal erythema and atrophy, lichenoid lesions, pain, and xerostomia. This article reports the case of a 40-year-old man with a history of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation who developed cGVHD. In addition to diffuse oral mucosal erythema and lichenoid-appearing lesions, he also developed numerous persistent painful superficial mucoceles. The superficial mucoceles were refractory to treatment with topical steroids; however, subsequent treatment with triamcinolone intra-lesional injections decreased their quantity, size, and symptoms.

Superficial mucocele is a relatively rare bullous disease that develops in the oral mucosa. Although the number of reported cases is limited, it seems that the superficial mucocele has been recognized as an independent disease belonging to a single entity. We report a 48-year-old woman who repeatedly developed superficial mucocele in the oral mucosa. When she was admitted to our hospital she had a tense vesicle on her lower lip. A skin biopsy was taken from the vesicle. A blister containing neutrophils and erythrocytes was present in the mucous epithelium. There was a dermal infiltrate comprising neutrophils, mononuclear lymphocytic cells and eosinophils. Dilated salivary gland excretory ducts were seen in the lamina propria mucosae. Eosinophilic and amorphous materials, which were periodic acid-Schiff positive after digestion with diastase, and alcian blue positive, were deposited in the blister. Direct immunofluorescence was negative for immunoglobulin (Ig)G, IgM, IgA, C1q, C3 and C4. These histological findings led us to make a diagnosis of superficial mucoceles.

A 55-year-old Japanese woman presented with recurrent multiple vesicles on the soft palate. Some vesicles ruptured spontaneously but soon recurred, and the patient felt mild pain and discomfort. Histopathologically, intraepithelial mucocele with mucus retention in the salivary ducts was observed. The lesion was successfully treated with Nd: YAG Contact Laser. There has been no recurrence for 3 years.

Superficial mucoceles are subepithelial extravasations of sialomucin that occur at the epithelial-connective tissue interface and are directly related to minor salivary glands. They have been described in association with oral lichen planus and, exceptionally, with chronic graft versus host disease. Three patients who underwent an allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for a chronic myelogenous leukaemia presented multiple superficial mucoceles and an oral lichenoid graft versus host disease.

This is a retrospective study of biopsied oral lesions (N = 534) in a pediatric population (0-15 years old) in southern Taiwan. In this study, we included 6% of the 9672 biopsies performed from 1985 through 1996. The lesions were divided into three groups according to patients' ages, 0-5 years old; 6-10 years old; and 11-15 years old The majority of the samples were from the oldest age group (273/518). With the exclusion of normal tissues (N = 26), 518 samples were classified into four categories: inflammatory lesions, cystic lesions, tumor or tumor-like lesions, and other lesions. The largest number of lesions occurred in the inflammatory lesion group (46%). The 12 most frequently occurring lesions contributed about 78% of all the biopsies in the three age groups (0-15 years old). Frequencies of the lesions of mucous extravasation phenomenon, dentigerous cyst, fibrous dysplasia, and odontonia in our three pediatric age groups showed a significant proportion in the biopsies of the same lesions in the group of patients of all ages. These information may be valuable for both epidemiology and teaching.

A retrospective analysis of oral cysts that were seen over an 11-year period in children at a dental institution in Nigeria was carried out. In general, oral cysts accounted for only 2.6% of the total biopsied lesions during the period under review. The most common oral cysts were the mucous retention cysts, the gingival cysts of infants and the dentigerous cyst. The commonest sites were the maxilla, the mandible and the floor of the mouth respectively and there was no significant difference in sex preference. Most of the cases were seen in the age group 11-16 years while the least was in the group aged 6-10 years.

This report presents a review of results from 2370 biopsies of patients up to 20 years of age received over 11 years in the biopsy service at the University of Illinois at Chicago. The computerized data were retrieved and compiled for site, age, sex, race, and diagnosis of the biopsies. The lesions were divided into 1) inflammatory and reactive, 2) cystic, 3) neoplastic, and 4) other anomalies. The patients were divided into three racial groups: whites, blacks, and Hispanics. Whites were in the majority (57%), blacks were the next most prevalent (26%), and Hispanics were the smallest group (17%). Private practitioners were the major source of the biopsies. The predominant site of the biopsies was periodontium followed by the lips. Inflammatory and reactive lesions formed the largest group of biopsies (66.1%) followed by neoplasms (11.2%) and cystic lesions (10.7%). Mucus extravasation phenomenon was the most common lesion followed by periapical granuloma, periapical cyst, dentigerous cyst, pyogenic granuloma, and papilloma. Three malignancies and five ameloblastomas also were found.

We present a clinical and histopathological study of 25 mucoceles of the oral cavity. Incidence was found to be greatest between age 10 and 20 (12 cases), with no significant differences in terms of sex. The lower lip was most frequently affected (17 cases), other locations being much less common. In 72% of cases there were etiological antecedents of traumatism. Mucocele size varied from 3 to 13 mm. although a great many of them were between 10 and 13 mm. Evolution period was 1-16 months, incidence being highest between 1 and 4 months. Finally, histology showed 95% to be due extravasation, the remaining 5% being the result of retention. Among the extravasation mucoceles, 11.7% were in the initial phase, another 11.7% in the reabsorption stage, and 76.4% in the final phase.

Superficial mucoceles are innocuous, small, clear vesicles that have a predilection for the soft palate, posterior buccal mucosa, and retromolar area. Microscopically, they are subepithelial extravasations of sialomucin that occur at the epithelial connective tissue interface. The clinical features are usually so characteristic that the diagnosis does not require biopsy confirmation. No treatment is required.

Superficial mucoceles are innocuous vesicular lesions that have been mistaken for mucous membrane pemphigoid. Clinically they are asymptomatic, small, clear, tense vesicles that have a predilection for the retromolar pad area, posterior buccal mucosa, and soft palate. Microscopically they are subepithelial extravasations of sialomucin that occur at the epithelial connective tissue interface. Minor salivary gland ducts are present in the immediate vicinity of the lesions and are a clue to the correct diagnosis. Demonstration of sialomucin is diagnostic.

Mucoceles are commonly occurring lesions of the oral mucous membrane and the most common lesion involving minor salivary tissue. The incidence of mucoceles is understandable since accessary salivary gland tissue is widely distributed throughout the oral mucous membrane and trauma to the mucosa, which causes their formation, occurs frequently. But only a few studies have been reported that describe its detailed features. This is a retrospective study on the salivary mucoceles in the oral mucous membrane and based on clinical chart, biopsy request and photomicroscopic finding of 112 patients treated by Dept. of Oral Surgery in Seoul National University Hospital, during the period of last 10 years. The results were as following. 1. The age range of the 112 patients was 2 to 60 years, with a peak incidence in the second decade and a gradual decline thereafter. Of the 112 patients, 49 (44%) were males and 63 (56%) were females, the male-to-female ratio being 1:1.29. 2. The majority of these lesions were located on the lower lip but occurred with lesser frequently on the buccal mucosa, floor of the mouth, tongue, retromolar region, upper lip. 3. Of the 112 patients, 107 (95%) were treated by excision and only 5 were treated by marsupialization. 18 of 112 cases had recurrence and the recurrence rate in this study was 16%. 4. Only 3 of the 112 cases revealed an epithelial lining. This incidence indicates that the mucus-extravasation by the damage of excretory duct rather than the ductal dilatation by mucus-retention may play a critical role in the production of these lesions. 5. In 81 cases (72.3%) minor salivary gland were included in the excision biopsy, specimen. Changes observed in the glandular tissue were atrophy and infiltration of chronic inflammatory cell, but the secretory function of gland was thought to be normal in most cases because the changes were mild.

Oral appearances of intestinal parasitic disease are rare. One such appearance is the presence in oral tissues of encysted or encapsulated larvae of organisms from the classes Cestoidea and Nematoda. Cestode larvae form cyst-like lesions that are often clinically diagnosed as mucoceles. In these lesions, the cyst cavity is lined by fibrous tissue with inflammatory cells, and contains fluid and the larval stage of a parasite. The diagnosis of these parasitic cysts is more frequently made in younger persons. The cysts may be treated by simple excision, but care must be taken that the cyst does not rupture, as in some parasites this may result in new cyst formation. Nematode infection in the oral cavity, the most common of which appears to be trichinosis, is rarely reported. Patients with oral or maxillofacial (or both) parasitic disease must undergo a thorough medical investigation to exclude possible life-threatening involvement in other parts of the body.