title: Benign Orofacial Lesions in Libyan Population: A 17 Years Retrospective Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the frequency and type of benign orofacial lesions submitted for diagnosis at Tripoli Medical Centre over 17 years period (1997-2013).
  
  
  METHODS
  Entries for specimens from patients were retrieved and compiled into 9 diagnostic categories and 82 diagnoses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the 17 years period, a total of 975 specimens were evaluated, it comprised a male-female ratio of 0.76:1. The mean age of biopsied patients was 36.3±18.32 years. The diagnostic category with the highest number of specimens was skin and mucosal pathology (22.87%); and the most frequent diagnosis was pyogenic granuloma (14.05%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pyogenic granuloma, lichen planus, radicular cyst and fibroepithelial polyp were found to be the most predominant diagnoses. Frequencies of most benign orofacial diseases were comparable to similar studies in the literature and to those reported from the eastern region of Libya. Further surveys are needed to define the epidemiology of orofacial diseases in Libyan population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Diagnosis, Oral Radiology and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Libyan International Medical University, Benghazi, Libya.
authors.forename: Marwa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hatem
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Diagnosis, Oral Radiology and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Libyan International Medical University, Benghazi, Libya.
authors.forename: Ziad S
authors.initials: ZS
authors.lastname: Abdulmajid
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Diagnosis, Oral Radiology and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Libyan International Medical University, Benghazi, Libya.
authors.forename: Elsanousi M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Taher
authors.affiliation: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Unit, Tripoli Medical Centre, Tripoli, Libya.
authors.forename: Mohamed A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: El Kabir
authors.affiliation: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Unit, Tripoli Medical Centre, Tripoli, Libya.
authors.forename: Mohamed A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Benrajab
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Diagnosis, Oral Radiology and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Libyan International Medical University, Benghazi, Libya.
authors.forename: Rafik
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kwafi
keywords: Benign; Libya; histopathologica; orofacial; retrospective; specimens.