ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The aim was to investigate collagen fibers in giant cell fibroma, inflammatory fibrous hyperplasia, and oral normal mucosa. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-six cases were stained with picrosirius red. The slides were observed under polarization, followed by the measurement of the area and the percentage of the type I and type III collagens. The age and gender were obtained from the clinical records. RESULTS: No differences could be observed in both the area and percentage of the type I and type III collagens within the categories of lesions and normal mucosa. In the giant cells fibroma, a greater area and percentage of type I collagen could be identified in individuals of less than 41.5 years (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The distribution of type I and type III collagen fibers in the studied lesions followed a similar pattern to that observed in the normal mucosa, indicating a normal collagen maturation process of type III to I. The study supports that multinucleated and stellate cells of the giant cell fibroma appear to be functional within collagen types III and I turnover. The greater amount of type I collagen identified in giant cell fibroma in individuals of less than 41.5 years reinforce the neoplastic nature of lesion.
