A Comparative Study of Oral Hamartoma and Choristoma

Aim: To compare the clinical and microscopic characteristics of hamartoma and choristoma of the oral mucosa and jaws and discuss the challenges in diagnosis. Materials and Methods: Analysis of patients diagnosed between 2000 and 2012, and literature review of the same years. A sub-classification into “single tissue” or “mixed-tissue” types was applied for all the diagnoses according to the histopathological description. Results: A total of 61 new cases of hamartoma or choristoma were retrieved, the majority were hamartoma. The literature analysis yielded 155 cases, of which 44.5% were choristoma. The majority of hamartoma were mixed. Among these, neurovascular hamartoma was the most prevalent type (36.7%). Of the choristoma, 59.4% were single tissue, with respiratory, gastric and cartilaginous being the most prevalent single tissue types. The tongue was the most frequent location of both groups. Conclusion: Differentiating choristoma from hamartoma depends to a great extent on the recognition of the normal tissues expected at every individual location.