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Color observation is essential to diagnose oral mucosal lesions. In order to measure and record the color of the oral mucosa more objectively, colorimeters were evaluated. The noncontact-type colorimeter showed considered values comparable with those of visual color matching and was reliable. The color distribution of the normal oral mucosa was from 5.0R to 4.1YR in hue, 3.5 to 6.0 in value, and 3.7 to 6.7 in chroma. The color distribution of leukoplakia was from 2.6RP to 3.4YR in hue, 3.7 to 7.0 in value, and 0.3 to 8.3 in chroma and the ranges thereof were considerably broader than those of normal mucosa and other mucosal lesions. The higher chroma of leukoplakia was, the severer epithelial dysplasia was. The color distribution of oral cancer was from 3.0R to 8.2YR in hue, 2.7 to 6.4 in value, and 3.0 to 7.8 in chroma. The ranges of color distribution was broader than those of normal mucosa and narrower than those of leukoplakia. The color distribution of lichen planus was from 1.7R to 8.9R in hue, 3.5 to 6.3 in value, and 3.6 to 8.5 in chroma. The chroma of erythema is the highest of all mucosal lesions. Some oral mucosal lesions are suggested to have characteristic colors.

Intractable recurrent ulcer of the oral cavity and pharynx was defined as irregular ulcerative lesions occurring only in the oral cavity and pharynx, showing no specific findings on clinicohematological examinations, which recurred easily and were resistant to various treatments for at least one month. Twenty-two cases with intractable recurrent ulcer were studied histologically. The following results were obtained: 1. Five histological types (LP type, LPE type, NL type, NLE type and NLP type) were identified, according to the invasive cells present, using H.E staining. 2. Subclasses of the invasive lymphocytes were classified using UCHL1 and L26. As a result, both LP type cases showed dominant T lymphocyte invasion. 3. Appearances of the activated T lymphocytes and Langerhans cells were studied using anti-Human HLA-DR and epithelial and endothelial expression of HLA-DR were observed. As a result, the characteristic findings of each histological type were demonstrated. These results suggest that cellular immunity may participate in the occurrence and progression of intractable recurrent ulcer. However, its role in the causes and effects of ulcer cannot be confirmed at this point.

Pyogenic granuloma is one of the diseases sometimes seen in otorhinolaryngology clinics. The clinical features of this disease are understood to be that the lesion is located in the oral cavity in the majority of cases that its causative agent is usually discovered and that it most likely grows as a malignant tumor. However, the entity of pathological diagnosis has not been established. Thirty-one cases of oral pyogenic granuloma, including 16 males and 15 females, are reported in this paper. The granuloma was located most frequently at the tongue, followed, in order, by the gingiva, buccal mucosa, hard palate, lip and oral floor. The period between the patient's first visit to our clinic and the onset of his/her complaint was variable. It was relatively shorter in those cases with the lesion at the gingiva or tongue as compared to other locations. The size of the lesion was smaller than 10 x 10 mm. We classified the pathological features into three patterns; granuloma type, hemangioma type, and intermediate type. Many cases of lesions located at the back of the tongue, buccal mucosa, or hard palate were of the hemangioma type, while many cases of lesions located at the top of the tongue, gingiva, or oral floor were of the granuloma type. We have the impression that pyogenic granuloma could be one of the purulent changes associated with benign oral tumors.

A case of a 54-year old man with lichen mucosae and Sjögren's syndrome was reported. Clinical and histopathological analysis was made on the presence of sicca features in 6 patients with lichen mucosae. All patients complained either xerophthalmia or xerostomia and 5 out of 6 cases showed specific lymphocytic foci seen in Sjögren's syndrome in addition to lichenoid tissue reaction in the specimen obtained from buccal mucosae. Objective keratoconjunctivitis sicca was demonstrated in 3 cases. Immunologically, abnormal laboratory findings were observed in 5 cases (4 cases with a positive ANA and 3 cases with a positive anti microsome antibody). These findings suggest that lichen mucosae might develop in a close association with Sjögren's syndrome and relationship between these two disease was discussed in this article.

The purpose of this study is to examine the ultrastructure of leukoplakia and lichen planus. The light and examine electron-microscopical observations were made in the specimens of leukoplakia and lichen planus as dyskeratosis in oral mucosa which were diagnosed as benign lesions clinically and histopathologically. The results were as follows: 1. Light microscopical findings: Leukoplakia exhibited orthokeratinization and the thickening of prickle and corneal cell layers was seen. The clear and unclear granular layers were seen. Lichen planus was classified as the type of parakeratinizing region or the mixed type of orthokeratinizing and parakeratinizing region, but the former was more abundant. The thickened prickle and corneal cell layers were seen and the granular layer was unclear in the parakeratinized cell regions. Various cells were observed in expanded intercellular spaces of basal cell and prickle cell layers. The infiltration of inflammatory cells in the lamina propria was more marked in lichen planus than in leukoplakia. 2. Electron microscopical findings: 1) The melanocyte and histiocyte-like cell were seen in the expanded intercellular spaces of basal and prickle cell layers in lichen planus, while they were not observed in leukoplakia. 2) The aggregation and scattering of the discharged desmosomes into the expanded intercellular spaces of prickle cell layers were observed in leukoplakia. The number of desmosome was decreased in the orthokeratinization process from granular layer to corneal layer. An increase in the width of intercellular contact layer and the disappearance of attachment plaque were observed. In lichen planus, the desmosome of parakeratinized regions were decreased in number toward the superficial layer, but the structure was clear even in the superficial part. 3) Small number of Odland bodies in the cytoplasm of superficial layer of prickle cell layer were seen. They increased in the granular layer and were discharged into the intercellular spaces in the most superficial layer of granular layer. The lamellar pattern of Odland bodies was not clear in the more superficial layer.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Two infant cases with traumatic prolapse of the buccal fat pad were presented. They suffered injuries from objects held in the mouth, such as a spoon and a tooth brush. Both received surgical treatment under local anesthesia, including closure of the wound with sutures. As the prolapsed tissue was fresh in the first case, it was repositioned. However, since the second case had passed 3 days after the accident and had a sign of infection, the prolapsed tissue was totally removed. Postoperative course was uneventful and there was no recurrence in both cases.