[Clinical study of sialolithiasis. Findings from 100 cases]

The present work is based on a study of 100 cases of sialolithiasis referred to the Department of Oral Medicine, Dental School, University of Thessaloniki during the period 1963-1986. Among 100 cases sialolithiasis was distributed as following: Submandibular glands 89 cases, parotids 8 cases and minor salivary glands 3 cases. Sialolithiasis of sublingual glands were not found. In most of the cases the calculus was single while on 16 cases calculi were double or even more. Among the cases of sialolithiasis of minor salivary glands we found single in two cases while in the remaining one the calculi were double. There was a slight but not significant prevalence in the male sex (52 male/48 female) and their age varied from 6 to 70 years. In 72% of the cases the patient's age was under 40 with the most common (34%) in the 3rd decade. Inflammatory swelling of the sublingual plica and wharton's duct appeared in 46.4%. Complication of acute sialadenitis was observed in 23.7% of the cases. The first symptom was swelling of the gland during the meals (88.7%) while pain in the gland was followed after different period of time. The duration of symptoms was ranged between 1 to 30 years in 3% of the cases, and in the remaining 61% it ranged from 1 day to 1 year. The calculi were removed surgically in 40 cases and conservatively in 8 cases. All three cases of minor salivary gland sialolithiasis were treated surgically. The remaining 49 patients didn't return for complete treatment.