Pleomorphic adenoma is the most common salivary gland tumor and it usually appears between the ages of 20 and 50 years. Few cases occur in childhood and pleomorphic adenoma rarely develops on the palate.
We encountered a pleomorphic adenoma which had developed on the hard palate of a 10-year-old boy. The tumor was a semispherical mass measuring 20×20mm and situated in the posterior part of the right hard palate. Its surface was covered with smooth and normal mucosa. The tumor had an elastic hardness and was not mobile. There was no spontaneous pain or tenderness. Under a diagnosis of pleomorphic adenoma based on biopsy findings, the tumor was excised together with a surrounding safety margin of tissue (5mm) under general anesthesia. The removed tumor was oval and well encapsulated, and the cut surface was whitish grey and solid. The palatal bone was resorbed due to compression by the tumor. A layer of the bone in the resorbed area was scraped out and the wound was dressed with a stent. The tumor has not recurred since the operation.