Benign fibro-osseous lesions of the jaw bones in Jamaica: analysis of 32 cases.

OBJECTIVE

It is intended to analyse all the cases of benign fibro-osseous lesions seen at the two major public hospitals in Jamaica over a 15-year period and to compare our result with what has been previously documented by other authors. No such analysis has been carried out in Jamaica or elsewhere in the English-speaking Caribbean.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The case files of patients histologically diagnosed to have a fibro-osseous lesion at both the Kingston Public Hospital and the Cornwall Regional Hospital in Jamaica from 1980 to 1995 were retrieved and information about these lesions was documented. The WHO classification for benign fibro-osseous lesions was used.

RESULTS

A total of 32 cases of benign fibro-osseous lesions were recorded over the 15-year period. Of these, 15 were histologically reported as fibrous dysplasia, 10 as ossifying fibroma, three as gigantiform cementoma, one each as periapical cemental dysplasia and cementoblastoma, and two cases of recurrent fibrous dysplasia. With the exception of gigantiform cementoma the age at presentation for these lesions is not consistent and this can be particularly noted for ossifying fibroma and fibrous dysplasia, both of which occurred between the age of 10 and 68 years.

CONCLUSION

These lesions are more common in females, furthermore it is suggested that the inconsistent age at presentation for some of these lesions may be peculiar to Jamaica, and may be due to delay in reporting a lesion by the patient, as routine dental examination is not a common practice.