Comparison of sialolithiasis in pediatric and adult patients

Abstract Aims To compare the clinical characteristics of sialolithiasis between pediatric and adult patients. Settings and Design Subject characteristics, clinical manifestations, salivary calculi characteristics, and treatment modalities and outcomes from medical records were retrospectively compared between pediatric and adult patients with sialolithiasis visiting the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hirosaki University Hospital, between 2005 and 2014. Subjects We included 5 pediatric (all boys) and 45 adult (20 men; 25 women) patients. Results Most patients had submandibular swelling. The calculi were located on the right in 100.0% of pediatric patients and 57.8% of adult patients. Moreover, 20.0% of pediatric patients and 35.6% of adult patients exhibited sialoliths in the glands. Calculi were Conclusions A large number of relatively small and distal sialoliths in pediatric patients was removed using intraoral retrieval under local anesthesia. This difference in the choice of treatment between pediatric and adult sialolithiasis may be attributed to the size and palpability of the calculi.