Traumatic neuroma, neurofibroma, neurilemmoma, palisaded encapsulated neuroma and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) are peripheral nerve sheath tumors and present neural origin. The goal of this study was to describe the epidemiological data of oral peripheral nerve sheath tumors in a sample of the Brazilian population. Biopsies requested from the Oral Pathology Service, School of Dentistry, Federal University of Minas Gerais (MG, Brazil), between 1966 and 2006 were evaluated. Lesions diagnosed as peripheral nerve sheath tumors were submitted to morphologic and to immunohistochemical analyses. All cases were immunopositive to the S-100 protein. Thirty-five oral peripheral nerve sheath tumors were found, representing 0.16% of all lesions archived in the Oral Pathology Service. Traumatic neuroma (15 cases) most frequently affected the mental foramen. Solitary neurofibroma (10 cases) was more frequently observed in the palate. Neurofibroma associated with neurofibromatosis type I (2 cases) was observed in the gingival and alveolar mucosa. Neurilemmoma (4 cases) was more commonly observed in the buccal mucosa. Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (3 cases) occurred in the mandible, palate, and tongue. Palisaded encapsulated neuroma (1 case) occurred in the buccal mucosa. The data confirmed that oral peripheral nerve sheath tumors are uncommon in the oral region, with some lesions presenting a predilection for a specific gender or site. This study may be useful in clinical dentistry and oral pathology practice and may be used as baseline data regarding oral peripheral nerve sheath tumors in other populations.

A lesão liquenóide oral relacionada ao amálgama, condição rara na prática odontológica, constitui importante diagnóstico diferencial no grupo das leucoplasias orais. Relatam-se dois casos que apresentaram rápida resolução clínica após a substituição das restaurações de amálgama.

Amalgam-related oral lichenoid lesion, a rare disorder in dental practice, is an important differential diagnosis among oral leukoplastic lesions. We report two cases with rapid clinical resolution following the replacement of amalgam fillings.