What factors influence mucocele recurrence?

Area of Science:

• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Pediatric Dentistry
• Clinical Outcomes Research

Background:

• Oral mucoceles are common benign lesions.
• Surgical excision is a primary treatment modality.
• Understanding recurrence factors is crucial for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between patient age and the recurrence of oral mucoceles following surgical excision.
• To identify age-related patterns in mucocele recurrence rates.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study of 492 patients undergoing oral mucocele excision (2010-2022).
• Fisher's exact tests and adjusted logistic regression analyzed age association with recurrence.
• Controlled for confounders including sex, behavioral history, and lesion characteristics.

Main Results:

• Overall recurrence rate was 4.9% (24/492 cases).
• Significant association found between age and recurrence (P=.005), with highest rates in 13-18 and >18 year olds.
• Adjusted logistic regression confirmed age as a significant predictor (OR 1.053, P=.035).

Conclusions:

• Mucocele recurrence is less common in children under 7.
• Recurrence is most prevalent in teenage and young adult populations.
• Each year increase in age correlates with a 5.3% increase in mucocele recurrence odds.