Pediatric Oral and Maxillofacial Lesions : A 26 Year Retrospective Review

Objectives: To study the occurrence, distribution, types, and clinical presentation of the common maxillofacial lesions occurring in children and teens. Methods: A total of 141 histopathology reports of patients, who had been diagnosed, treated and followed up at the maxillofacial units as an outpatient and inpatient at two main Royal Medical Services Hospitals of Jordan (King Hussein Medical Center and Prince Rashid hospital) between 1985 and 2011 were included in this study. Results: Male to female ratio was 1.5:1. The highest percentage of lesions was seen in children aged 11 years. The majority of the lesions were inflammatory and reactive lesions seen in 36% of patients followed by cystic lesions in 22 %, and odontogenic tumors in 10.5% of patients. Non odontogenic tumors constituted 21.3% and malignant tumors 5%. Lesions presented as swellings were 47.5%, masses 45.4%, and as an ulceration 7.1%. Conclusion: Inflammatory and cystic lesions remain the most commonly encountered oral and maxillofacial lesions in children and teens; malignant tumors are extremely rare and pose difficulty regarding the origin of the tissue they arise from and the modality of treatment to be involved.