Pattern of Distribution of Biopsy Confirmed Oral and Maxillofacial Lesions in Adult and Geriatric Age Groups of Central Kerala Population-An Institutional Retrospective Study of 11 Years

Introduction: Oral health reflects overall health of an individual. Oral lesions can vary according to sociodemographic features and individual genetic make-up.Aim and Objective: The present study was aimed to evaluate and compare the distribution of biopsy confirmed oral and maxillofacial lesions in adult and geriatric population in Central Kerala region.Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was conducted using past 11 year biopsy records of oral lesions of patients who were treated at Government Dental College, Kottayam. The data was retrieved, categorized into those of adult group and elderly group and was retrospectively analyzed and compared. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).Results: Out of 2289 cases analyzed, 1339 (58.5%) cases belonged to adult group and 950 (41.5%) belonged to elderly group. Malignant lesions and potentially malignant disorders were most common in the elderly group in a significant way (P< 0.001) while reactive lesions, benign lesions and odontogenic cysts and tumors were more common in adult group. Prevalence of moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma cases was significantly higher in both age groups (P< 0.001).Conclusion: The present study assessed prevalence of biopsy confirmed oral lesions in adult and geriatric population in a tertiary dental health care center. This study noticed a change in trends in the prevalence of oral lesions in different age groups and a higher prevalence of oral cancer among elderly population. Knowledge about patterns of oral lesions in different age groups will be useful for proper oral health care preventive planning.