LIPOMAS OF THE MOUTH FLOOR AND SUBMANDIBULAR SPACE: REPORT OF 3 CASES

Although the lipoma, a benign lesion composed largely of mature fat cells, is a common tumor that comprises 4% to 5% of all benign neoplasms, it is rarely seen in the oral cavities. Oral lipomas represent between 0.2 and 3.2% of all benign oral tumors. While lipomas in general more commonly affect female patients(68-73%), oral lipomas seem to appear more frequently in male patients. The majority of oral lipomas is seen after the age of 40 years. They may occur anywhrere in the oral cavity, but the cheek is the most common site. Surgical excision is the only treatment recommended and the prognosis is uniformly excellent. We report our experience of 2 cases of the lipoma in the mouth floor and 1 case of the lipoma in the submandibular space.