Necrotizing sialometaplasia is a benign circumscribed ulcerative inflammatory condition of the minor salivary glands of the oral cavity. It is often mistaken clinically and histopathologically as a malignancy, such as squamous cell carcinoma or mucoepidermoid carcinoma.
A 17-year-old Japanese female was referred to our hospital complaining of bilateral nonulcerated swellings of the plate. Biopsy samples taken from both lesions revealed histopathological signs of necrotizing sialometaplasia. Both lesions completely healed without treatment 10 weeks after biopsy and there was no evidence of recurrence.
Recognition of necrotizing sialometaplasia, regardless of its clinical or microscopic presentation, is essential to avoid inappropriate or unnecessary treatment of this benign reactive lesion.
