Ectopic Gingival Sebaceous Glands Presenting as Localized Periodontitis

Abstract

The development of ectopic gingival sebaceous glands is a very unusual condition which is histologically similar to Fordyce's granules when they occur within the buccal or labial mucosa. In this report, we present a rare case of ordinarily innocuous, ectopic gingival sebaceous glands, which presented clinically and radiographically as localized advanced periodontitis. Histological and immunocytochemical evaluation of tissue removed from the periodontal lesion following excisional biopsy supported the diagnosis of an ectopic gingival sebaceous defect. This case illustrates the necessity of considering less frequently occurring entities in the differential diagnosis of localized lesions which appear to be periodontal in origin.

Clinicopathologic conference: bluish gingival nodule

“…12 Although considered a normal variation, the presence of sebaceous glands has also been rarely described under different terms in oral sites, such as the retromolar region, 13 tongue, 14 hard and soft palates, 15 and gingiva. 16,17 The occurrence of sebaceous glands in human gingiva is exceedingly rare, and most of these cases exhibit a clinical appearance compatible with Fordyce granules. [16][17][18] When it produces a nodular lesion, as in the present case, the preferred term is sebaceous choristoma, which is defined as a tumor-like hyperplasia of mature sebaceous glands of different sizes in a location where they are not usually seen.…”

“…16,17 The occurrence of sebaceous glands in human gingiva is exceedingly rare, and most of these cases exhibit a clinical appearance compatible with Fordyce granules. [16][17][18] When it produces a nodular lesion, as in the present case, the preferred term is sebaceous choristoma, which is defined as a tumor-like hyperplasia of mature sebaceous glands of different sizes in a location where they are not usually seen. 18 There are few reports of oral sebaceous choristoma in the English language literature, and most of the lesions were located in the posterior midline region of the tongue of adult patients.…”

Spontaneous Ectopic Sebaceous Glands (Fordyce's Granules) in the Oral Mucosa of Sprague-Dawley Rats

“…In humans, Fordyce's granules are seen in the buccal, labial, retromolar mucosa, and the vermilion border of the lip, but gingiva is relatively rare 2,4,5,[14][15][16][17] . Differences in location of the granules between rats and humans may depend on the anatomical nature.…”

Cutaneous Neoplasms with Sebaceous Differentiation

“…There have been numerous case reports of sebaceous ectopias on the penis, labia minora, vagina, cervix, uteri, larynx, tongue, esophagus and orbit. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20] Since the sebaceous gland is of ectodermal origin a metaplastic change or an ectodermal tissue arrest might be responsible for these more unusual locations (eg, leg, cervix, larynx etc. ).…”