Etiology- The development of fibrosarcoma may be linked to previous radiation therapy and tissue trauma such as a burn injury.
Transmission-na
Characteristics- Most of these lesions present as gradually enlarging , painless masses. Ulceration of the surface, secondary to trauma, may occur as the lesion enlarges. With enlargement, the patient may complain of pain, swelling, paresthesia, and loosening of teeth
Dental implications- Early identification of enlarging soft tissue masses is of utmost importance in obtaining a favorable treatment outcome.
Treatment and prognosis- The treatment of choice surgical excision with wide margins . The prognosisie guarded. There is local recurrence in 50 to 75% of cases and this is the most common cause of death. Distani metastasis occurs in 20 to 40% of cases, with spread occurring more commonly to the lungs. The 5-year survival rate is 50 to 70%.

Etiology- no known cause
Transmission- considered inherited conditions
Characteristics- Fibromatosis manifests as a slowly enlarging soft tissue mass when observed in the oral cavity. Facial asymmetry can be expected as the lesions enlarge . The soft tissues surrounding the mandible are commonly affected. If the bone of the mandible is affected , the lesions appear as ill-defined radiolucencies. Expansion of the cortical bone may occur.
Dental implications- Early diagnosis of any enlarging mass is crucial to obtaining a favorable treatment outcome. The dental hygienist is in an excellent position to provide thorough examinations, which can identify abnormal growths when they are small.
Treatment and prognosis- The treatment of choice is aggressive surgical excision with wide margins , anti-inflam matory medications, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, and other forms of local therapy are suggested . Because there is a high rate of recurrence with these tumors , monitoring of the patient is paramount. The tumors have been known to regress spontaneously, and sometimes, they may be watched for a period of time but, in general, they have a reported recurrence rate of approximately 30% for very aggressive lesions in the head and neck area. Deaths have been reported due to recurrence and locally aggressive invasion of vital tissues. There is no metastasis.

Etiology-the neurilemmoma arises from proliferation of the Schwann cells of the nerve sheath. They are considered benign neural neoplasms of Schwann cell origin.
Transmission- na
Characteristics- manifest as smooth-surfaced submucosal masses. The lesions can occur anywhere in the mouth but occur most frequently on the tongue. They can also occur within the bone of the maxilla or mandible, where they appear as well- defined radiolucencies . Bone lesions are often associated with pain and paresthesia. The palate is not a commonly seen location for this entity.
Dental implications- Accurate interpretation of radiographic findings in areas where a patient reports pain and / or paresthesia may be essential to detect this neoplasm, when it arises in bone.
Treatment and prognosis- The treatment of choice is surgical excision. There is little chance of recurrence or with malignancy so the prognosis is excellent.

Etiology- The solitary neurofibroma is a benign neoplasm that originates from the Schwann cells or connective tissue cells that support the peripheral nerves. It is the most common type of peripheral nerve neoplasm. Neurofibromatosis is an inherited syndrome characterized by multiple neurofibromas and other abnormalities
Transmission-na
Characteristics- the tumor manifests as a slow-growing , smooth-surfaced, asymptomatic mass. It is most commonly located on the tongue or buccal mucosa; however, it can be located at any intraoral site. Occasionally, the tumor may be found within the bone of the maxilla or mandible, where it can cause extensive expansion and destruction of the bone .
Dental implications- The presence of multiple neurofibromas may indicate a relatively common genetic disorder called neurofibromatosis. The dental hygienist may be in a unique position to detect these lesions and request referral
Treatment and prognosis- Surgical excision is the preferred treatment. Solitary neurofibromas have little chance of recurrence and thus have an excellent prognosis.

Etiology- benign neoplasm of smooth muscle that is commonly found in the muscular layer of the gut, uterus, and oral cavity
Transmission- na
Characteristics- slow growing, painless, smooth surfaced mass that is usually less than 2 cm in diameter, tongue, hard palate, and buccal mucosa are involved
Dental implications-Close monitoring of patients who have had oral cancer followed by radiation therapy
Treatment and prognosis- Radiation therapy treatment. Local recurrence of the tumor is seen in 30% of cases

Etiology: The pleomorphic adenoma is a benign neoplasm that arises from the proliferation of two different types of salivary gland cells, ductal and myoepithelial. Alterations in chromosome 8 may be associated with the development of this neoplasm
Transmission- na
Characteristics- It manifests as a painless, slow-growing, firm mass, usually found in the lower superficial lobe of the parotid near the angle of the mandible. Within the oral cavity, the pleomorphic adenoma appears as a firm, nodular growth covered by intact mucosa, most often found on the palate followed by the upper lip and buccal mucosa. The tumors are mobile when found in the soft tissues but are not mobile when found on the palate.
Dental implications- Pleomorphic adenomas are difficult to remove completely; therefore, it is essential to monitor these patients periodically for recurrences.
Treatment and prognosis- Complete surgical removal is recommended. Failure to adequately treat pleomorphic adenomas can result in significant morbidity due to extensive growth or in malignant transformation of the tumor.

Etiology- unknown
Transmission- na
Characteristics- Warthin tumors present as slow-growing, rubbery or firm, painless masses, usually found in the tail of the parotid gland near the angle of the mandible. There is a tendency for this tumor to appear bilaterally. The tumors usually are bilateral. The patient may complain of tinnitus and deafness depending upon the stage of growth .
Dental implications- Patients who have a history of smoking have a much higher risk of developing this neoplasm. The dental professional should take this into consideration when performing extraoral and perioral palpitations. In addition, since these tend to appear bilaterally, if one parotid gland is found to have a palpable mass, the opposite gland should be thoroughly palpated. The decrease in risk for this tumor can be mentioned as a benefit associated with smoking cessation.
Treatment and prognosis- Surgical removal of the tumor is the treatment of choice .The prognosis is excellent. There is a chance of recurrence , but many feel that these recurrent tumors may actually be new primary lesions, especially if the patient has continued to smoke.There have been rare reports of malignant transformation within the tumors.

Etiology- unknown
Transmission- na
Characteristics-found most often in the parotid gland , where it manifests as an asymptomatic swelling. The longer the tumor is present, the more likely that symptoms of pain and facial nerve paralysis or palsy will develop . Mucoepidermoid carcinoma may also affect the submandibular gland and the minor salivary glands found throughout the oral cavity.Minor salivary gland muco epidermoid carcinomas appear as asymptomatic swellings, which may be fluctuant and slightly blue in color. Mucoepidermoid carcinoma may also appear within the bone of the maxilla or more commonly the mandible, where it will present as a unilocular or multilocular radiolucency.
Dental implications- oral cancer screening examinations should include palpation of all of the major salivary glands to identify abnormalities at an early stage.
Treatment and prognosis-This tumor is treated by surgical removal. Postsurgical radiation is often indicated as adjuvant therapy for high- grade tumors. The prognosis depends primarily on the grade of the tumor.

Etiology-unknown
Transmission- na
Characteristics- When found in the parotid or submandibular glands, these tumors present as slow-growing hard masses. Minor salivary gland tumors appear as slow-growing masses on the palate, buccal mucosa, or lips more often than any other intraoral area. Pain can be a symptom no matter where this tumor is located and is not related to the degree of tumor involvement
Dental implications- these tumors are slow growing, and the dental hygienist may be the first person to detect this neoplasm during a periodic oral examination
Treatment and prognosis- Involvement of the parotid gland results in partial or total removal of the gland depending on the location of the tumor. The entire submandibular gland is removed when tumors are found in this location. Minor salivary gland tumors are treated with surgical excision of the including an adequate margin of normal surrounding. Prognosis is generally good.

Etiology- may be associated with various genetic mutations and the over production of specific gene products including the protein p63. This tumor is one of the more common minor salivary malignancies
Transmission- na
Characteristics- The hard and soft palate is the most frequent site for PLGA followed by the upper lip and buccal mucosa . It presents as a slow -growing smooth-surfaced,painless mass that may exist for years before discovery leads to diagnosis and treatment. Large tumors may become ulcerated because of secondary trauma.And some may erode into the underlying bone
Dental implications-One of the first signs of a palatal that might be a denture that starts to feel uncomfortable. All patients who wear dentures should be encouraged to have periodic oral examinations to detect abnormalities in the early stages.
Treatment and prognosis- Surgical excision with wide margins is the treatment of choice for PLGA. Local recurrence has been reported but is usually managed by reexcision. Metastasis is considered an uncommon occurrence

Etiology- unknown, some evidence supports an association with mutations on chromosomes 6 and 12 and deletion of genetic material from chromosome 19.
Transmission- na
Characteristics- Parotid gland tumors present as firm, well-defined masses within the gland. They are slow growing and may be tender on palpation. Facial nerve involvement may indicate that the tumor is in an advanced stage. Intraoral tumors occur on the palate more frequently than on any other surface, although these tumors can occur anywhere in the oral cavity. ulcerated, especially when the lesion is found on the hard palate. Pain may be reported prior to any clinical evidence of the growth. Palatal lesions may cause destruction of the underlying bone.
Dental implications-all dental procedures need to be accomplished prior to the radiation therapy. The patient needs to be instructed about the long-term management of xerostomia and other oral side effects of radiation.
Treatment and prognosis- Surgical excision is the treatment of choice for adenoid cystic carcinoma. Removal of tumors within the parotid gland may require sacrifice of the facial nerve . Intraoral tumors should be removed with wide surgical margins . Removal of the underlying bone may be necessary with palatal lesions. Adjuvant radiation therapy is recommended for most tumors.