Epulis | |
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Specialty | Oral medicine |
Epulis (Greek: ἐπουλίς; plural epulides) is any tumor-like enlargement (i.e. lump) situated on the gingival or alveolar mucosa.[1][2] The word literally means "(growth) on the gingiva",[3][4] and describes only the location of the mass and has no further implications on the nature of the lesion.[5] There are three types: fibromatous, ossifying and acanthomatous.[medical citation needed] The related term parulis (commonly called a gumboil) refers to a mass of inflamed granulation tissue at the opening of a draining sinus on the alveolus over (or near to) the root of an infected tooth.[2] Another closely related term is gingival enlargement, which tends to be used where the enlargement is more generalized over the whole gingiva rather than a localized mass.