title: Unusual extensive physiologic melanin pigmentation of the oral cavity: a clinical presentation.
abstract: Pigmented lesions are commonly found in the oral cavity. Oral pigmentations may be physiological or pathological in nature. It may represent as a localized anomaly of limited significance or the presentation of potentially life threatening multisystem disease. Oral pigmentation has a multifactorial etiology. Most of the oral pigmentations are physiologic. Evaluation of a patient with pigmented lesions should include a full medical and dental history, extraoral and intraoral examinations. In this article, we report a case of extensive physiologic pigmentation of the oral cavity in a 12 year old female patient, posing a diagnostic challenge.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, Hitkarini Dental College and Hospital, Hitkarini Hills, Dumna Road, Jabalpur-482 005, Madhya Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mallikarjuna
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shukla
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chaurasia
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005881:Gingiva / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006801:Humans; D008543:Melanins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008548:Melanosis / Q000175:diagnosis; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D010858:Pigmentation / Q000502:physiology*; D014059:Tongue / Q000033:anatomy & histology
chemical_list: D008543:Melanins