eMedicine Specialties > Dermatology > Diseases of the Oral Mucosa

Epulis Fissuratum: Follow-up

Author: Diane Stern, DDS, Clinical Professor, Department of Surgery, Section of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Miami; Clinical Professor, Nova Southeast University School of Dental Medicine
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Jul 6, 2009

Follow-up

Deterrence/Prevention

  • Regular dental care can prevent epulis fissuratum. Patients who wear dentures frequently believe that they no longer require care, and, under these circumstances, dentures lose their correct fit and become the source of irritation.

Prognosis

  • With correction of the poorly fitting denture, the prognosis for epulis fissuratum is excellent.

Patient Education

  • Instruct the patient that regular dental care is necessary and that the oral tissues are changing constantly. This means that dentures are not permanent and need adjustments over time.

Miscellaneous

Medicolegal Pitfalls

  • The potential problem is that masses that occur in the vestibular area and are associated with dentures tend to be dismissed as epulis fissuratum. Unfortunately, on rare occasions, these masses prove to be squamous cell carcinomas or metastatic disease. Therefore, do not ignore these lesions, and always examine them histologically.


The mass in the posterior part of the maxillary v...

The mass in the posterior part of the maxillary vestibule is associated with a full denture; however, in this patient, the mass represented a squamous cell carcinoma. The surface is more granular in appearance, although this is not always the case.

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The mass in the posterior part of the maxillary v...

The mass in the posterior part of the maxillary vestibule is associated with a full denture; however, in this patient, the mass represented a squamous cell carcinoma. The surface is more granular in appearance, although this is not always the case.

 
Acknowledgments

The authors and editors of eMedicine gratefully acknowledge the contributions of previous Chief Editor, William D. James, MD, to the development and writing of this article.



More on Epulis Fissuratum

Overview: Epulis Fissuratum
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Epulis Fissuratum
Treatment & Medication: Epulis Fissuratum
Follow-up: Epulis Fissuratum
Multimedia: Epulis Fissuratum
References
Further Reading
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References

  1. Bhattacharyya I. Case of the month. Epulis fissuratum. Todays FDA. Jul 2008;20(7):15, 17, 19. [Medline].

  2. Buchner A, Begleiter A, Hansen LS. The predominance of epulis fissuratum in females. Quintessence Int. Jul 1984;15(7):699-702. [Medline].

  3. Coelho CM, Zucoloto S, Lopes RA. Denture-induced fibrous inflammatory hyperplasia: a retrospective study in a school of dentistry. Int J Prosthodont. Mar-Apr 2000;13(2):148-51. [Medline].

  4. Keng SB, Loh HS. Clinical presentation of denture hyperplasia of oral tissues. Ann Acad Med Singapore. Sep 1989;18(5):537-40. [Medline].

  5. Ralph JP, Stenhouse D. Denture-induced hyperplasia of the oral soft tissues. Vestibular lesions, their characteristics and treatment. Br Dent J. Jan 18 1972;132(2):68-70. [Medline].

  6. Cutright DE. The histopathologic findings in 583 cases of epulis fissuratum. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol. Mar 1974;37(3):401-11. [Medline].

  7. Naveen Kumar J, Bhaskaran M. Denture-induced fibrous hyperplasia. Treatment with carbon dioxide laser and a two year follow-up. Indian J Dent Res. Jul-Sep 2007;18(3):135-7. [Medline].

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Keywords

epulis fissuratum, denture-induced hyperplasia, inflammatory hyperplasia, denture hyperplasia, denture-induced fibrous hyperplasia

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Diane Stern, DDS, Clinical Professor, Department of Surgery, Section of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Miami; Clinical Professor, Nova Southeast University School of Dental Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Marjan Garmyn, MD, PhD, Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium; Chair and Adjunct Head, Department of Dermatology, University of Leuven, Belgium
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

David F Butler, MD, Professor of Dermatology, Texas A&M University College of Medicine; Chair, Department of Dermatology, Director, Dermatology Residency Training Program, Scott and White Clinic, Northside Clinic
David F Butler, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, American Medical Association, American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, American Society for MOHS Surgery, Association of Military Dermatologists, and Phi Beta Kappa
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Managing Editor

Drore Eisen, MD, DDS, Consulting Staff, Department of Dermatology, Dermatology Research Associates of Cincinnati
Drore Eisen, MD, DDS is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American Academy of Oral Medicine, and American Dental Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Glen H Crawford, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine; Chief, Division of Dermatology, The Pennsylvania Hospital
Glen H Crawford, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, American Medical Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society of USAF Flight Surgeons
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Dirk M Elston, MD, Director, Department of Dermatology, Geisinger Medical Center
Dirk M Elston, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

 
 
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