Retrospective evaluation of pediatric oral biopsies from a dental and maxillofacial surgery centre in salem, Tamil Nadu, India.

AIM: The aim of the study was to evaluate the pediatric oral biopsies received between 2002-2011 from a dental and maxillofacial centre in Salem, Tamilnadu, India retrospectively based on age, sex, site and type of the pathologies.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The records of dental and maxillofacial surgery centre were taken and a retrospective evaluation of the pediatric lesions biopsied over a period of ten years (2002-2011) was done. Patients aged 15 years and below were considered as pediatric patients and pathologies were grouped into 8 categories, according to age, gender, anatomic location and pathologic diagnosis.

RESULTS: A total of nine hundred twenty five biopsies were studied, of which 97 cases were from pediatric patients. The pathologies were predominant in mandible to maxilla (47:29).The distribution of the pathologies were 44 odontogenic pathologies, 18 connective tissue tumours, 3 salivary gland tumours, 5 fibro osseous lesions and 25 tumour like lesions. Out of this 44 odontogenic pathologies, 39 were odontogenic cysts, and 5 were odontogenic tumours.

CONCLUSION: Unlike other studies, the lesions were more common in the mandible with a female predilection. The majority of oral and maxillofacial lesions detected in pediatric population were benign similar to the previous reports.