[Differential diagnosis of epulis-type changes in the mouth]

Various tumorlike reactions of the oral mucous membranes under the term Epulis are summarized. These histologically different benign or malignant neoplasms of the gingiva are not very frequent. The differential diagnosis on a clinical basis like symptoms and macroscopic appearance is not easy. Sometimes under these harmless appearing lesions highly aggressive and malignant tumors may be hidden; as there are carcinomas, sarcomas, metastases, tumors of the salivary glands or malignant lymphomas. The therapy of choice is the complete removal including the underlaying periosteum. Occasionally the adjacent bone and tooth have also to be resected. Because of the harmless clinical appearance a histological examination is always required. Some clinical and pathohistological impressive examples are presented.