Intraoral Schwannoma in Retromolar Region

Abstract

Schwannomas of the intra oral region are relatively uncommon; these are benign nerve sheath tumors that arise from schwann cells of the neural sheath. They are solitary, slow-growing, smooth-surfaced, usually asymptomatic, and encapsulated tumors, about 25% of all schwannomas are located in the head and neck, but only 1% show intraoral origin. We are contributing a report of 24 years old woman with slow progressive swelling over the right retromolar region. Magnetic resonance imaging presented a well defined mass over the right retromolar area measuring 19 × 19 mm2 and fine needle aspiration cytology revealed that it was a tumor mass of neurogenic origin. Diagnosis was confirmed by excisional histological identification of Antoni A areas with marked palisading of nuclei. Although these rare entities of oral cavity are routinely not encountered in practice, they should be added in differential diagnosis of intraoral tumors.