An Unusually Large Oral Lipoma of Buccal Mucosa and Vestibulum: A Case Report

Lipoma is a benign tumor of fatty tissue. Although lipomas are common tumors of mesenchymal origin in the human body, they rarely occur in the oral and maxillofacial region with a prevalence of 1%-4%. Even though lipomas in the oral cavity can appear anywhere, their etiology remains unclear. These tumors grow slowly and are painless, soft, and often encapsulated. Nevertheless, this tumor, with its growth, can cause speech, chewing, and denture fabrication difficulties and can be associated with pain, swelling, and numbness. Since it can be differentially diagnosed with liposarcoma, the preferred treatment for this tumor is adequate surgical excision, which is associated with a low recurrence rate. This report presents the clinical case of a large oral lipoma located in buccal mucosa and vestibule of the oral cavity that has been growing for the past 8 years. Surgical excision of the lipoma was performed under local anesthesia, requiring precise dissection due to its proximity to the mental nerve to minimize potential nerve damage. At the 3-month follow-up examination, the clinical findings were normal, with no signs of recurrence and no paresthesia in the operated area.