eMedicine Specialties > Dermatology > Diseases of the Oral Mucosa

Oral Nevi: Treatment & Medication

Author: Donald Cohen, DMD, MS, Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery & Diagnostic Sciences, University of Florida College of Dentistry
Coauthor(s): Indraneel Bhattacharyya, DDS, MSD, Assistant Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Diagnostic Sciences, Director of Oral Maxillofacial Pathology Residency Program, University of Florida, College of Dentistry
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Jan 13, 2009

Treatment

Medical Care

Regular and thorough oral examinations should be performed; the goal is to find and remove all suspicious pigmented lesions.

  • If the pigmentation is diffuse, identifying innocuous lesions such as smoker's melanosis or ethnic pigmentation, or even more challenging lesions such as benign mucosal melanosis or atypical or malignant proliferations, is important.
  • Even areas of benign mucosal melanosis must be carefully monitored because these lesions can transform into a malignant melanoma.

Surgical Care

Incisional or excisional biopsy of oral lesions is often required to confirm benignancy or malignancy (see Procedures).

  • Biopsy is indicated for benign mucosal lesions that recur.
  • Repeat biopsy is necessary for any lesion that spreads or changes clinically.

Consultations

  • Consultation may be required if the clinician is unsure of the nature of the oral pigmentation and/or lesion or if he or she is unfamiliar with biopsy techniques.
  • If the clinician is unfamiliar with the oral cavity and/or the various pigmented lesions that can affect it, the patient should be referred to an oral medicine and/or oral pathology specialist.

More on Oral Nevi

Overview: Oral Nevi
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Oral Nevi
Treatment & Medication: Oral Nevi
Follow-up: Oral Nevi
Multimedia: Oral Nevi
References
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References

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Further Reading

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Keywords

oral melanocytic nevus, nevocellular nevus, mole, pigmented nevus, intralamina propria nevus, intramucosal nevus, oral nevus, oral melanocytic nevi, nevocellular nevi, pigmented nevi, benign proliferation, nevus cells, hamartomas, mucosal melanocytic nevi

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Donald Cohen, DMD, MS, Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery & Diagnostic Sciences, University of Florida College of Dentistry
Donald Cohen, DMD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Indraneel Bhattacharyya, DDS, MSD, Assistant Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Diagnostic Sciences, Director of Oral Maxillofacial Pathology Residency Program, University of Florida, College of Dentistry
Indraneel Bhattacharyya, DDS, MSD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and American Dental Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Michelle Pelle, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor, Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of California at San Diego
Michelle Pelle, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, California Medical Association, Medical Dermatology Society, and Pennsylvania Medical Society
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
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: 3M Pharmaceutical Grant/research funds Other; Graceway Pharmaceuticals Grant/research funds Other

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

William D James, MD, Paul R Gross Professor of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine; Vice-Chair, Program Director, Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Health System
William D James, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology and Society for Investigative Dermatology
Disclosure: elsevier Royalty Other; american college of physicians Honoraria Other

 
 
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