Inflammatory papillary hyperplasia

Inflammatory papillary hyperplasia (IPH) is a benign lesion of the oral mucosa which is characterized by the growth of one or more nodular lesions, measuring about 2mm or less. The lesion almost exclusively involves the hard palate, and in rare instances, it also has been seen on the mandible. The lesion is mostly asymptomatic and color of the mucosa may vary from pink to red.

In general, IPH is associated with the use of removable upper dentures, although it also has been found in dentulous patients with no history of a dental prosthesis.

The majority of lesions are found beneath ill-fitting dentures of long use and in patients who do not take their dentures out overnight. The lesion seems to result from a combination of chronic, mild trauma which permit frictional irritation. A poor fitting denture never acquires papillomatosis. However, there must be some unidentified predisposing factors present in those patients who develop the lesion. It is also induced by low-grade infection by bacteria or Candida yeast. It is occasionally seen in patients without dentures but with high palatal vaults or those with habit of breathing through the mouth.