Sammanfattning
Premalignant oral mucosa lesions
Identification of premalignant oral mucosal lesions is an essential
part of dentists’ preventive efforts. Oral leukoplakia is the
most important of these lesions and according to the traditional
paradigm the potential for malignant development is related
to localization and presence of epithelial dysplasia. While
recent studies have not supported this paradigm, future malignant
development does vary with clinical type (i.e. homogenous/
non-homogenous leukoplakia), and the size of the lesion.
There seems to be no positive effect of surgical removal of
the lesions on future malignant development. Since a number
of carcinomas not identified by the preoperative biopsy were
present in the removed lesions, however, it may be desirable to
remove the lesions to assist with diagnosis.