MULTIPLE FOCAL PIGMENTED LESIONS IN THE MAXILLARY TUBEROSITY AND HARD PALATE - A UNIQUE DISPLAY OF INTRAORAL JUNCTIONAL NEVI

THE PIGMENTED CONDITIONS LOCATED in the oral cavity have a diverse genesis ranging from vascular lesions to exogenous and endogenous pigmentations. In this report we have documented the unusual occurrence of multiple intraoral junctional nevi in a patient. A review of the patient's past dental records revealed that 2 of these lesions were first noticed 8 years earlier; however, no efforts were made to identify the nature of the pigmentations. Removal of 4 lesions and subsequent histopathological analysis revealed the presence of junctional nevi. This case illustrates the importance of a thorough clinical and histological work-up when dealing with pigmented lesions in the oral cavity. The excision of all suspected oral nevi is warranted because they cannot be clinically differentiated from other pigmented lesions, including oral melanoma. In addition, the potential of junctional nevi to undergo malignant transformation in the oral cavity is undetermined.