Gingival fibrous nodule.

Five patients with small, exophytic, asymptomatic fibrous nodules, single or multiple, of the mandibular mucogingival zone of the anterior labial gingiva are presented. Such nodules are benign and resemble small fibromas. The clinical and histologic appearance distinguishes them from entities such as retrocuspid papilla, reticular mandibular gingival ridges, oral hamartomas associated with Cowden's syndrome, tuberous sclerosis oral lesions, and oral nodules secondary to epidermolysis bullosa. Gingival fibrous nodule, or gingival nodule, is the proposed name for this lesion, which is essentially a variation of normal oral structures that may be mistaken for disease.