An analysis of oral biopsies extracted from 1995 to 2009, in an oral medicine and surgery unit in Galicia (Spain)

OBJECTIVE To conduct an analysis of the frequency of oral lesions in biopsies over a 14-year period in the Oral Medicine, Oral Surgery and Implantology Unit. MATERIAL AND METHODS We conducted a retrospective study of biopsies removed from 1995-2009, recording data regarding age, sex, location of the lesions, biopsy types, anatomical and pathological diagnosis and definitive diagnosis. RESULTS Of the 562 patients studied, the average age was 51.8 years, with a standard deviation of 18.5 (range 5-96). The distribution by sex was 318 (56.6%) women and 244 (43.4%) men. The most common diagnostic category was mucosal pathologies in 37.9% of cases, followed by odontogenic cysts in 27.8%. Malignant tumors accounted for 3.9% of cases, oral squamous cell carcinomas were the most frequent malignancy, appearing in 22 cases. Bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaws was the most common injury within the bone lesions group. CONCLUSION Following the performance of 647 biopsies on 562 patients, we can say that the most common injury was radicular cysts (appearing in 108 cases), having found statistical differences in relation to the patients' sex and age.