Inflammatory Jaw Swellings: Review of 1, 276 Cases seen at the University College Hospital, Ibadan

Abstract

Introduction: Jaw swellings are common presenting cases at oral diagnosis clinics of which inflammatory causes are important. However, these cases are usually under-represented in histologically diagnosed jaw swellings. The aim of this study was to review the clinico-pathologic features of clinically diagnosed cases of inflammatory jaw swellings that presented in our hospital within 10 years.

Methods: Data on age, gender, clinical diagnosis and site distribution were analyzed descriptively using frequencies, ranges and means ± SD. Variables were compared using Chi square and ANOVA tests as appropriate. Level of significance was set at p < 5%.

Results: Inflammatory jaw swellings were seen in 568 males and 708 females, commoner in adults (18 years and above) constituting 82.3%.The mean age of occurrence was 34.2 ± 18.9 years while the peak age of occurrence was 20-29 years. Mandibular swellings constituted 66.7% of the cases while the left side of the mandible was most commonly affected constituting 32.1%. Dentoalveolar abscess was the most commonly diagnosed inflammatory jaw swelling constituting 37.1%, followed by pericoronitis (28.6%). Maxillary swellings were commoner in males while mandibular lesions were commoner in females (p < 0.001).

Conclusions: From this review, inflammatory jaw swellings were commoner in females and adults, with dentoalveolar abscess as the most common clinically diagnosed condition.