Dentistry

Breakthrough Clinical oral pathology case: No. 28

July 3, 2017

Breakthrough Clinical's Editorial Director Dr. Stacey Simmons describes the oral pathology case of a patient who presented for her recare exam, unaware of a 9x6 mm lesion that was discovered during the clinical exam. Read more details about the case to see if you can diagnose this lesion.

Stacey L. Simmons, DDS, Editorial Director of DE's Breakthrough Clinical e-newsletter

Dr. Stacey Simmons describes the oral pathology case of a patient who presented for her recare exam, unaware of a 9x6 mm lesion that was discovered during the clinical exam. Read more details about the case to see if you can diagnose this lesion.

Editor's note: This article first appeared in DE's Breakthrough Clinical with Stacey Simmons, DDS. Find out more about it and subscribe here.

A healthy 66-year-old female presents for her recare exam. Health history is noncontributory except for a hip replacement in the last year. Upon examination, a white, corrugated, irregular bordered lesion was noted on the upper right side on the attached tissue between teeth Nos. 5 and 6, measuring approximately 9x6 mm. The patient was unaware of its presence, and it was not tender to touch or palpation. Furthermore, the lesion was not able to be removed or scraped off.

What are your differentials, and how would you proceed with recommendations for this patient?

Send your answers to [email protected] or join our Facebook group to discuss this oral pathology case and more. Next month, we will discuss the final diagnosis and recommended treatment for this case.

For more pathology articles, click here.

Do you have an interesting oral pathology case you would like to share with Breakthrough’s readers? If so, submit a clinical radiograph or high-resolution photograph, a patient history, diagnosis, and treatment rendered to: [email protected]. We will let you know if we select your case.

Editor's note: This article first appeared in DE's Breakthrough Clinical with Stacey Simmons, DDS. Find out more about it and subscribe here.

For more articles about clinical dentistry, click here.

Stacey L. Simmons, DDS, is in private practice in Hamilton, Montana. She is a graduate of Marquette University School of Dentistry. Dr. Simmons is a guest lecturer at the University of Montana in the Anatomy and Physiology Department. She is the editorial director of PennWell’s clinical dental specialties newsletter, DE’s Breakthrough Clinical with Stacey Simmons, DDS, and a contributing author for DentistryIQ, Perio-Implant Advisory, and Dental Economics. Dr. Simmons can be reached at [email protected].

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About the Author

Stacey L. Simmons, DDS | Editorial Director of DE's Breakthrough Clinical e-newsletter

Dr. Stacey Simmons grew up in Hamilton, Montana. She did part of her undergraduate work at Purdue University and then received her bachelor’s degree in exercise physiology from the University of Utah. After applying to both medical and dental school, she decided that dentistry was her career of choice. She received her DDS degree from Marquette University School of Dentistry in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 2004. In private practice, she focuses her care on prosthodontics and cosmetic dentistry. She is a guest lecturer in the Anatomy and Physiology Department at the University of Montana. Outside the office, she trains for triathlons and spends time with her family. You may contact Dr. Simmons by email at [email protected].

In 2015, Dr. Simmons became the editorial director of DE's Breakthrough Clinical with Stacey Simmons, DDS, an e-newsletter focused on breaking through plateaus in clinical practice. Subscription information may be found here.

Updated May 4, 2016