title: Retrospective evaluation of pediatric oral biopsies from a dental and maxillofacial surgery centre in salem, Tamil Nadu, India.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  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.
  
  
  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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Pedodontics & Preventive Dentistry, Dental and Maxillofacial Surgery Centre , Salem, Tamil Nadu, India .
authors.forename: Ramesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Krishnan
authors.affiliation: Reader, Department of Pedodontics & Preventive Dentistry, Dental and Maxillofacial Surgery Centre , Salem, Tamil Nadu, India .
authors.forename: Maya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ramesh
authors.affiliation: Consultant Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon, Department of Pedodontics & Preventive Dentistry, Dental and Maxillofacial Surgery Centre , Salem, Tamil Nadu, India .
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Paul
keywords: Odontogenic cysts; Odontogenic tumours; Pediatric oral pathology; Salivary gland tumours; Tumour like lesions