p16INK4A and p15INK4B tumor suppressor genes are frequently altered in various human tumors. Hypermethylation of the promoter region of p16INK4A and p15INK4B seem to be the major mechanism of inactivation. To determine whether the change in p16INK4A and p15INK4B methylation status occur in oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs) and benign oral epithelial hyperplasias, we analyzed 46 OSCCs and 20 benign oral epithelial hyperplasias by methylation-specific PCR. We also analyzed a subset of the samples for p16INK4A and p15INK4B protein expression by immunohistochemistry. The promoter region of p15INK4B was hypermethylated in 13 specimens of the 15 finally analyzed OSCCs and three specimens of the five analyzed benign oral epithelial hyperplasias. By immunohistochemical analysis, we confirmed the loss of p15INK4B expression of all hypermethylated specimens. The promoter region of p16INK4A was amplified by both an unmethylated- and a methylated-specific primers in just one OSCCs. The remaining specimens including 11 OSCCs and four benign oral epithelial hyperplasias were normally methylated. By immunohistochemistry, we analyzed the loss of p16INK4A expression in seven specimens of the 12 OSCCs and two specimens of the four benign oral epithelial hyperplasias. Except for one OSCC, however, all specimens showing loss of expression were normally methylated. These results suggest that loss of p16INK4A and p15INK4B protein expression play an important role in the development of both OSCCs and benign oral epithelial hyperplasias.