Benign oral masses in a Northern Jordanian population-a retrospective study

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relative frequencies, types and distribution of benign oral masses in North Jordanians. The records of the Department of Pathology at Jordan University of Science & Technology were reviewed and analyzed for patients with benign oral soft tissue masses, received during an 11-year period (1991-2001). The main outcome measures were patients' age and sex, and the mass type and location. A sum of 818 benign oral soft tissue masses (4% neoplastic and 96% non-neoplastic) was analyzed. Common benign neoplasms were salivary pleomorphic adenoma and lipoma. Non-neoplastic lesions consisted of traumatic (43%) inflammatory/ infective (33%), cystic (14%) and developmental (9%) lesions. Common non-neoplastic lesions were fibroepithelial polyp, pyogenic granuloma, mucoceles, hemangioma and squamous papilloma, in a descending order. There were 330 (40%) males and 488 (60%) females with a male to female ratio of 1: 1.5. The mean age was 33 years, with the majority in the 2(nd), 3(rd) and 4(th) decades. The sites commonly affected by benign neoplasms were the palate, tongue, upper lip and buccal mucosa, in a descending order and the sites commonly affected by non-neoplastic lesions were the gingiva, buccal mucosa, lower lip and tongue in a descending order. It is concluded that some of the features of benign oral masses in north Jordanians published in this paper are similar to those from other countries, and some are different. Further nationwide population-based surveys are needed to further define the epidemiology of benign oral masses among Jordanians.