Oral Focal Mucinosis of the Edentulous Area of the Maxilla: A Rare Case Report

Oral focal mucinosis (OFM) is a relatively uncommon benign connective tissue lesion of unknown etiology, primarily affecting the gingiva. Clinically, OFM has no specific appearance; it resembles more specific conditions like fibroepithelial hyperplasia and other reactive lesions. Histologically, it is characterized by loose myxoid connective tissue stroma with slightly enlarged fibroblasts. This case report aimed to describe clinical, histological, and immunohistochemical features of an OFM in a 71-year-old edentulous male patient affecting the right maxillary alveolar mucosa. The lesion presented as a painless, dome-shaped, sessile nodule. Histopathological examination revealed a circumscribed area of increased mucin deposition within the lamina propria, devoid of inflammatory cells. This case highlights the importance of considering OFM in the differential diagnosis of soft tissue lesions of the oral cavity, even in edentulous patients, and underscores the diagnostic role of histopathology.