PERIPHERAL ODONTOGENIC FIBROMA: MIMICKING GINGIVAL SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA: A RARE CASE REPORT AND REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Abstract

In neoplasms Peripheral Odontogenic Tumors(POT) are one of the rare to occur on gingiva, among them, Peripheral Odontogenic Fibroma (POdF) is the most common. A plethora of lesions sharing similar clinical features, makes the diagnosis difcult. POdF is a benign, slow-growing, smooth, exophytic, painless lesion but it may show diverse clinical presentation as erythematous, lobulated, rapidly growing mass which might be tender on palpation overlapping the features with various inammatory gingival conditions to even a gingival squamous cell carcinoma.This results into diagnostic enigma. Histopathologoical examination plays a vital role in these type of cases. Discussed here is a case of POdF mimicking gingival squamous cell carcinoma. Histopathological investigation showed presence of odontogenic epithelium and dystrophic calcication which are the pathognomonic features of POdF. After surgical removal,POdF is seen to recur but, the exact recurrence rate cannot be estimated due to scarcity of reported cases.