DESCRIPTION: The peripheral giant cell granuloma appears as a nodular soft tissue mass
arising from gingival or alveolar mucosa. The color may be red but is often a blue-grey.
Most are approximately a centimeter in size, although they may be larger. The peak age
is around 40 years but they occur in all ages with a female prevalence. There is almost
equal distribution between maxillary and mandibular gingival. The term “peripheral” is
included in the name to separate this lesion from a histologically similar lesion which
occurs inside the jaws. Jaw lesions are referred to as the “central” giant cell granuloma.
The peripheral granuloma may cause pressure resorption of underlying alveolar bone and less commonly resorption of the
adjacent tooth. They are not painful. Histologically this lesion consists of fibroblasts and multinucleated giant cells.