Oral lesions in Crohn's disease: report of two cases and update of the literature.

A review of twenty-two previously reported cases and two new cases of oral lesions of Crohn's disease shows that there is a predilection for occurrence in certain anatomic sites and that the appearance of lesions is dependent on location. The most frequently affected areas and their respective appearances are the buccal mucosa, showing a cobblestone pattern; the vestibule, demonstrating linear, hyperplastic folds and ulcers; and the lips, appearing diffusely swollen and indurated. Less frequent are lesions of the gingiva and alveolar mucosa, which reveal a granular, erythematous swelling, and the palate, represented by multiple ulcers of the aphthous type. The significance of the clinical lesions and their microscopic features id discussed, as is a differential diagnosis in similar-appearing lesions.