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Oral Health Made Simple: Your Prescription For Knowledge
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Step 1 Prevent ProblemsSimplestepsPrevent Problems
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Fibromas

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space placeholder.What Is It?.
space placeholder.Symptoms.
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space placeholder.Expected Duration.
space placeholder.Prevention.
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space placeholder.What Is It?
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Fibromas are overgrowths of soft tissue. They appear as raised, relatively small areas. They commonly occur on the lips, inside the cheeks and on the tongue. Fibromas are usually pink. They also can be whitish or light-colored. If injured, fibromas may be reddish or bluish.

Fibromas may develop because of constant irritation of the lips, the inside of the cheeks, or the tongue. Irritation can be caused by:

  • A habit of biting these areas
  • Tooth grinding (bruxism)
  • Rubbing from poorly fitting dentures or sharp areas on a tooth

If one area of your mouth is injured over and over, scar tissue can form. This also may stimulate the underlying normal tissue to grow.

Fibromas can develop over weeks, months or years.

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space placeholder.Symptoms
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You may see or feel the fibroma. There are usually no symptoms. Fibromas may get bigger over time.

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space placeholder.Diagnosis
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Your dentist will examine your mouth and ask you a few questions. Usually that will be enough for the dentist to diagnose a fibroma and determine a cause. A fibroma can be removed to confirm the diagnosis. In this case it should be examined in a lab to make sure it is not cancerous.
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space placeholder.Expected Duration
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A fibroma will not go away unless it is removed by surgery.

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space placeholder.Prevention
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To avoid fibromas, avoid habits such as biting your lips or the inside of your cheeks. If you grind your teeth, ask your dentist to fit you with a night guard.
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space placeholder.Treatment
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A fibroma will grow if the area continues to be injured. Fibromas that are large or interfere with speech should be removed.

When fibromas are removed, the tissue is sent to a laboratory for a biopsy. If you drink or smoke, your dentist is likely to order a biopsy to rule out oral cancer. Another reason to do a biopsy is if the fibroma has an unusual color. Fibromas are not known to become cancerous over time.

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space placeholder.When To Call a Professional
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If you notice a swelling, lump or bump in your mouth, have your dentist check it out.

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space placeholder.Prognosis
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The outlook is good if the cause can be identified. A fibroma can come back if the habit or problem that caused it continues.

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space placeholder.Additional Info
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American Academy of Dermatology
930 E. Woodfield Road
Shaumburg, IL 60173
Toll-Free: 1-866-503-SKIN (7546)
www.aad.org

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Last updated February 6, 2012
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