Description: Fordyce granules appear as flat or elevated yellow plaques or grains just beneath the mucosal surface. The most common site is buccal mucosa although they may be found anywhere in oral mucosa. Development of the oral glands parallels those of the skin, reaching maximum numbers at puberty. Eighty percent of the population are affected. The number of granules is quite variable. Fig. 11 illustrates a large number of granules on buccal mucosa.
Etiology: They are ectopic sebaceous glands, presumed to be a developmental anomaly.
Treatment: None required.
Prognosis: Good
Differential diagnosis: The clinical appearance is so characteristic that differential diagnosis is rarely a problem.