Orofacial granulomatosis of the lower lip and cheek: report of a case.

Orofacial granulomatosis (OFG) is a granulomatous disease of the orofacial region. This clinicopathological entity describes patients with oral lesions characterized by persistent and/or recurrent labial enlargement, ulcers, and a variety of other orofacial features, which on biopsy have lymphedema and noncaseating granulomas. The cause is idiopathic but appears to represent an abnormal immune reaction. This may be a manifestation of Crohn's disease (CD) since some patients with oral lesions develop typical bowel symptoms of CD in ensuing months to years; tooth-associated infections, sarcoidosis, food or contact allergies, and viruses have also been implicated in causing OFG. Clinical features of OFG are highly variable and sometimes so insidious that signs and symptoms are frequently not severe enough to cause alarm. The lips are most commonly involved and demonstrate a nontender, persistent swelling. Because of the relatively nonspecific clinical findings associated with granulomatous diseases, a microscopic diagnosis of granulomatous inflammation often presents a diagnostic dilemma for clinicians. We report a case of OFG of the lower lip and cheek and describe its management to add to the current body of literature on the subject.