title: Preauricular pilomatricoma: An uncommon entity in a dental pediatric patient.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pilomatricomas are benign follicular skin appendage tumors, commonly occurring in children and young adults. Most patients admit to dermatologists to seek treatment and are well known by them; however, dental professionals, especially pediatric dentists are not familiar with these tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  This report presents a 16-year-old female with preauricular pilomatricoma, located beneath the overlying skin of the temporomandibular region. Clinical examination revealed an asymptomatic lump, the overlying skin revealed no abnormalities. Patient was unaware of the lesion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pilomatricomas are commonly encountered in the maxillofacial region, although not considered in differential diagnosis by dental professionals. They usually present as, asymptomatic, subcutaneous masses; although symptomatic cases have been reported. In literature, common differential diagnosis for head and neck pilomatricoma includes sebaceous cyst, ossifying hematoma, giant cell tumor, chondroma, dermoid cyst, foreign body reaction, degenerating fibroxanthoma, metastatic bone formation, and osteoma cutis. We are of the opinion that temporomandibular joint disease should also be considered in differential diagnosis for preauricular pilomatricoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pediatric dentists should be aware of the condition and consider it in the differential diagnosis of pediatric conditions involving the temporomandibular joint.
authors.affiliation: Ankara University, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department, Emniyet Mahallesi, İncitaş Sokak Yenimahalle, Ankara, Turkey. Electronic address: poyzanbozkurt@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Poyzan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bozkurt
authors.affiliation: Ankara University, Faculty of Dentistry, Maxillofacial Radiology Department, Emniyet Mahallesi, İncitaş Sokak Yenimahalle, Ankara, Turkey. Electronic address: m_eraykolsuz@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Mehmet Eray
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Kolsuz
authors.affiliation: Oral Pathology, Private Practice, Ankara, Turkey. Electronic address: ogunhan@gata.edu.tr.
authors.forename: Ömer
authors.initials: Ö
authors.lastname: Günhan
authors.affiliation: Head of Department, Ankara University, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department, Emniyet Mahallesi, İncitaş Sokak Yenimahalle, Ankara, Turkey. Electronic address: erdalerdem091@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Erdal
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Erdem
authors.affiliation: Ankara University, Faculty of Dentistry, Maxillofacial Radiology Department, Emniyet Mahallesi, İncitaş Sokak Yenimahalle, Ankara, Turkey. Electronic address: call53@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Kaan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Orhan
keywords: Child; Differential diagnosis; Pilomatricoma; Tumor