Reactive gingival lesions: a retrospective study of 2,439 cases

To identify the clinicopathologic features of epulides in West China and to compare these data with those of previous studies from other countries.

Demographics; clinical data including gender, age, and chief complaints of the patients; and the type, size and location, duration, diagnosis, and histologic features of the lesion were studied from among biopsy specimens and clinical records at West China College of Stomatology from January 1951 to July 2005.

A total of 2,439 epulides were identified. Epulides found were peripheral fibroma (PF: 1,489, 61.05%), peripheral ossifying fibroma (POF: 431, 17.67%), pyogenic granuloma (PG: 482, 19.76%), and peripheral giant cell granuloma (PGCG: 37, 1.52%). The total ratio of males to females was 1:1.40. Specifically, the ratios were 1:1.31 for PF, 1:1.99 for PG, and 1:1.47 for PGCG (all P < .001). The peak incidence of epulides fell in the third to sixth decade of life overall, the fifth to sixth decade for PF and POF, and the third to fourth decade for PG.

Among the 4 kinds of reactive lesions, PF had the highest incidence and PG had the lowest incidence in Chinese patients. There were also differences in type, sex, age, location, duration, and histologic features: PF was the most common type; all of the epulides except PGCG showed a predilection for females; PG was more prevalent among young patients; and POF lasted much longer than other lesions. Differences in the distribution of the 4 types of lesion were also found among various ethnic groups.