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Background: A dentinogenic ghost cell tumor is a locally invasive neoplasm that is characterized by ameloblastoma-like islands of epithelial cells in a mature connective tissue stroma., Methods: A 43-year-old male patient presented a well-circumscribed sessile, exophytic mass of the gingiva with a diameter of 2 cm located in the canine area of the right maxilla. The lesion was enucleated., Results: The lesion showed odontogenic epithelium, ghost cells, dentinoid material, and giant cells. The final microscopic diagnosis was a dentinogenic ghost cell tumor., Conclusions: A dentinogenic ghost cell tumor is an extremely rare tumor, and only a few cases have been reported in the English literature. The peripheral, extraosseous lesion can be easily confused with other gingival lesions such as reactive or inflammatory lesions or other peripheral odontogenic tumors. The clinical appearance of all of these lesions is similar; therefore, the definitive diagnosis depends on histology, and a biopsy with a microscopic examination is mandatory.

Background: Mucosal malignant melanoma of the of the head and neck is a rare neoplasm, accounting for about 0.2% of all melanomas. We present the clinopathological findings of a case., Methods: An 83-year-old woman presented with a dark reddish pigmented lesion which had appeared 3 years previously., Results: Clinical examination revealed a sessile lesion, 1.5 cm in diameter, located on the vestibular maxillary gingiva next to the first molar area. Microscopic analysis of the neoplasm showed epithelioid cells with prominent nucleoli aggregated in solid nests. Cytoplasmic melanin pigmentation was present. The neoplastic cells were positive for HMB-45 and S100 protein. The final histologic diagnosis was primary malignant melanoma of the gingiva. Physical examination and a computerized tomography scan of the neck, liver, and lungs ruled out the possibility of occult melanoma lesions elsewhere in the body., Conclusion: The prognosis for patients with oral malignant melanoma is extremely poor. Earlier recognition of this condition simplifies treatment and greatly improves the prognosis for these patients.

Background: Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) is composed of a family of multifunctional polypeptide growth factors involved in embryogenesis, inflammation, regulation of immune response, angiogenesis, wound healing, and extracellular matrix formation. TGF-beta1 is the most common isoform found in human tissues. A role of TGF-beta in the pathogenesis of periodontal disease has been suggested. The aim of the present study was a comparative immunohistochemical evaluation of TGF-beta1 in normal keratinized gingiva and in the peri-implant soft tissues surrounding failing non-submerged implants., Methods: Twenty patients participated in this study. Ten biopsies from healthy keratinized mucosa and 10 biopsies from peri-implant soft tissues surrounding failing implants were obtained (one biopsy per patient). The biopsies were obtained from different patients., Results: In 5 cases of healthy mucosa, the stromal cells were positive between 1 to 5. In 7 cases, the epithelial layers were positive, between 1 and 18 cells. The superficial epithelial layer was negative in all cases. In 9 cases, there was a positivity of the vascular component, between 2 and 16 vessels. In failing implants, the stromal cells were positive in 6 cases, between 1 and 4. In all cases, cells of the epithelial layers were positive, between 15 and 40. The vascular component was positive in all cases, between 12 and 30 vessels. The differences between TGF-beta1 expression in the epithelium around healthy and failing implants were statistically significant (P < 0.0001). The differences between TGF-beta1 expression in the blood vessels in the soft tissues around healthy and failing implants were also statistically significant (P < 0.0001). No statistically significant difference was observed between the 2 groups in the TGF-beta1 expression in the stromal cells (P = 0.88)., Conclusion: TGF-beta1 may be one of the most important factors in the regulation of the infiltrate, and in the production of tissue repair with a stimulation of fibroblasts and endothelial cells.

Background: Oral focal mucinosis is a rare disease of unknown etiology, where the connective tissue undergoes a focal myxoid degeneration., Methods: We describe a 48-year-old patient who was referred for a firm, tender mass located on the gingiva of the left central mandibular incisor. The first clinical impression at examination was that of a periodontal abscess., Results: The lesion underwent a biopsy, and the final microscopic diagnosis was oral focal mucinosis., Conclusions: It must be stressed that in most focal gingival lesions, a preoperative diagnosis can be almost impossible.

Peripheral ameloblastoma (PA) is a rare odontogenic tumor most common in elderly patients. They are usually solitary; red or pink granular, nodular, or papillary lesions; up to 1.5 cm in diameter; and either not resorb bone or produce a shallow erosion. Peripheral ameloblastoma should be included in the differential diagnosis of soft tissue lumps on the gingiva or edentulous alveolus.

Background: Metastatic tumors to the oral cavity are rare, representing about 1% of oral tumors, and they affect jaws more often than the oral soft tissues., Methods: Fifteen cases of metastases to the jaw bones from thyroid carcinoma were found in a recent review, with no cases located in the oral mucosa., Results: The authors describe the first cases of gingival metastasis from a thyroid medullary carcinoma., Conclusions: Periodontists must recognize oral soft tissue metastases because they can be the first sign of an undiscovered malignancy, and they can be easily mistaken with several different benign lesions.