Ignored Amalgam Pigmentation Leading to Discomfort upon Denture wearing: A Case Report

Pigmented oral lesions are commonly encountered in clinical dental practice. They range from physiologic changes to manifestation of systemic diseases or neoplasms, sometimes posing diagnostic challenges. In this article, a case of a 73-year-old male with a pigmented oral macule on his lower left alveolar ridge, which was ignored initially, is reported. The patient's complaint included an ill-fitting denture causing discomfort, arising due to the tenderness over the pigmented lesion. Investigations including biopsy, histopathology, and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) were carried out to determine the definitive diagnosis of amalgam tattoo. The clinical features, etiology, histopathology, and management of this case are briefly discussed. After surgical intervention to remove this pigmentation, the healing was uneventful without tenderness upon palpation and proceed to construction of removable prosthesis. Nevertheless, the importance of thorough investigation of an ignored amalgam tattoo in edentulous areas, before fabricating dentures form the essence of this case report.