Treatment of mucocele of the lower lip using diode laser in a pediatric patient: interdisciplinary case report

Abstract

Mucocele or mucus extravasation cyst is a common oral cavity lesion, involving minor salivary glands, and results from duct rupture or obliteration, causing glandular contents (mucinous) to be released subepithelially. The incidence is high, with 2.5 lesions per 1,000 individuals. Indeed, mucoceles are the most common minor salivary gland disorder, and represent the second most frequent benign soft tissue tumors of the oral cavity, following irritative fibromas. Trauma, parafunctional behavior, lip chewing, and other etiological factors may contribute to a permanent bump in the region of incidence if left untreated. These are non-neoplastic cystic lesions of the major and minor salivary glands caused by mucus accumulation. Children are the most often affected by these lesions. Various treatment modalities for mucocele have been advocated, with lasers being the most recent and innovative. In the current case report, a diode laser was used to remove a mucocele on the lower lip, with benefits of less pain, bleeding, recurrence, and greater patient compliance. While these lesions are usually treated with local surgical excision, in our case, to prevent intra-operative surgical complications, such as bleeding and edema, and to facilitate faster healing, excision was performed using a diode laser with a wavelength of 940 nm. After achieving hemostasis, the excised tissue was sent for histopathological examination, which confirmed our diagnosis of that lesion as mucus extravasation cyst or mucocele.