title: Oral melanocytic nevi: a clinicopathologic study of 100 cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical and histopathologic features of oral melanocytic nevi (OMN).
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred cases of OMN were retrieved from the files of two oral pathology services, and the data were analyzed with regard to histologic type and clinical features.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Intramucosal nevus was the most common type (61%), followed by common blue nevus (23%), compound nevus (7%), and junctional nevus (3%). Combined nevus and cellular blue nevus were rare (2% each). The hard palate was the most commonly affected site (33%), followed by the buccal mucosa (18%), vermilion border of the lip (18%), and gingiva (15%). An interesting case of intramucosal nevus with lipomatosus-like changes and neurotization and two cases of oral dysplastic nevus are also reported.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intramucosal and common blue nevi are the most common types of OMN. Dysplastic nevus, which is recognized as a marker for melanoma in the skin, can rarely involve the oral cavity. Accordingly, dentists, especially oral and maxillofacial pathologists, should become familiar with the clinical and histopathologic features of this entity.
authors: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University Baylor College of Dentistry, Dallas, Texas, USA; Assistant Professor, Department of Dental Practice, University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, San Francisco, California, USA. Electronic address: Lferreira@pacific.edu.
authors: Leticia
authors: L
authors: Ferreira
authors: Department of Oncology and Diagnostic Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Assistant Professor, College of Dental Medicine Illinois, Midwestern University, Downers Grove, Illinois, USA.
authors: Bruno
authors: B
authors: Jham
authors: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University Baylor College of Dentistry, Dallas, Texas, USA.
authors: Rouba
authors: R
authors: Assi
authors: Pathologists' Biomedical Laboratories, LLP, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA.
authors: Allison
authors: A
authors: Readinger
authors: Department of Diagnostic Sciences, Texas A&M University Baylor College of Dentistry, Dallas, Texas, USA.
authors: Harvey P
authors: HP
authors: Kessler
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D009508:Nevus, Pigmented / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*