Kenneth M. Anderson

Third molar development in the estimation of chronologic age in american blacks as compared with whites.

ABSTRACT: Third molar (M3) development determined from dental radiographs in American blacks (African Americans; n=637) aged 14–24 years was contrasted against American whites (n=563) from a previous study using the method of Demirjian et al. Differences were assessed using descriptive statistics and the parametric proportional hazards model. For each developmental stage, the probability of an individual being at least 18 years old was evaluated. As in other M3 studies, there were highly significant modal differences, but the age ranges at each stage overlapped considerably. Black–white differences were highly significant with developmental stages occurring in blacks a year or so earlier. Gender differences also varied significantly, both with increasing age and between races. The empirical likelihood that an African American male with fully developed M3s is at least 18 years old is 93% and that for African American female is 84%. Corresponding risks for whites are 90% and 93%.

Slow-growing gingival mass

OBJECTIVES A 33-year-old woman presented with a slow growing palatal gingival mass. The clinical differential diagnosis included benign tumors and tumor-like lesions, including the pyogenic granuloma, peripheral giant cell granuloma, peripheral ossifying fibroma, giant cell fibroma, peripheral odontogenic tumors, and oral focal mucinosis. STUDY DESIGN The lesion was excised and histopathological examination followed by immunohistochemical staining was carried out. RESULTS The microscopic findings and the immunohistochemical reactivity was diagnostic for a nerve sheath myxoma. CONCLUSIONS The clinical features, microscopic findings, immunohistochemistry, and the differential diagnosis including the relationship to the neurothekeoma are discussed.

The epithelioid blue nevus: A rare intraoral nevomelanocytic tumor.

The epithelioid blue nevus (EBN) is considered a cutaneous marker of the Carney complex. Sporadic EBN has been reported in patients not exhibiting the Carney complex. The EBN does not exhibit unique clinical features that help to differentiate it from other lesions and is often provisionally diagnosed as an acquired melanocytic nevus, or a malignant melanoma. A 52-year-old African-American female had a 3-4 mm bluish macule of the left anterior hard palate. An excisional biopsy was performed to rule out an incipient melanoma. Formalin-fixed, hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections were examined microscopically. On the basis of histopathological features, a diagnosis of EBN was rendered. We document a case of the rare EBN affecting the oral mucosa. The patient did not exhibit any features associated with the Carney complex. Two years post-operatively, there is no evidence of a recurrent tumor.

Adenosquamous Carcinoma of the Tongue

A 51-year-old white female presented with a painful ulcer of the left ventrolateral tongue. An incisional biopsy confirmed a diagnosis of adenosquamous carcinoma. The adenosquamous carcinoma is an uncommon malignant tumor with histopathological features of a squamous carcinoma and an adenocarcinoma. A definitive diagnosis requires histopathological examination of a deep biopsy involving the submucosal tissue. This malignant tumor shows aggressive behavior with early invasive growth and a poor prognosis. The histopathological findings and differential diagnosis of a case of adenosquamous carcinoma of the tongue are discussed.