Schwannoma of the Hard Palate in a Child

Schwannoma is an uncommon benign encapsulated tumor that contains Schwann cells of the nerve sheath. About 25% of schwannomas are located in the head and neck region, and 1% of them are intraoral. In the oral cavity, the most common site of involvement is in the tongue, followed by the palate, buccal mucosa, lips, the vestibular mucosa, and gingiva. A rare case of schwannoma in the right side of the hard palate of the oral cavity in a 13 year old boy with yellowish surface color and 0.6 × 0.5 cm diameter was reported. The patient’s chief complaint was palatal swelling since four months ago, without any pain. Differential diagnosis and treatment were discussed based on the histopathologic report and clinical features. The most important point of this case is the occurrence of a slow-growing schwannoma in the hard palate of a very young patient. The presence of an intraoral neural tumor in a young patient is very rare.