[Papillomas of the oral cavity. Role of the papillomavirus].

Latest results about etipatogenesis of oral papillomas make us to modify the old classification according which papillomatosis were traumatic or idiopathic, giving to the latest a tested viral origin. Studies at the electron microscopy, immunoperoxidase technique and DNA-hybridization showed that human papillomavirus (HPV) is the etiologic agent of these oral lesions. Many works seem to support the opinion that HPV could be implicated even in the development of some oral carcionomas; anyway, further confirmatory evidence is still needed.