Chronic inflammatory lesions of the jaws and orofacial tissues

BACKGROUND: Chronic inflammation is a persistent inflammation characterized by tissue repair which may occur around the jaws due to varying causes. This study aims to review its clinico-pathologic features. METHODS: The study location was the Oral Pathology Laboratory, University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Nigeria. Archival records were examined and all entries made as histopathological diagnosis of a chronic inflammatory lesion were identified and included in the study. The clinical data regarding age, gender, site of lesion, clinical diagnosis, and histopathological diagnosis were extracted from the histopathology reports of the patients. Data were presented using summary statistics and analysed with the SPSS software. Chi-square test was used to test the association between age, gender, and histopathological diagnosis. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.050. RESULTS: Orofacial lesions diagnosed as chronic inflammatory lesions were 95, constituting 4.6% of 2046 diagnoses made. They occurred mostly in the 21-40 years age group recording 34.0%-35.8% of cases. The mean age of men was 36.6 ± 19.0 years, while for women was 49.0 ± 21.5 [t = -2.82, degree of freedom (df) = 95, P = 0.006]. Women were more affected while the mandible was the most commonly affected site, making up 41.0%/43.2% of cases. Non-specific chronic inflammation was the most frequently diagnosed lesion constituting 31.0%/32.6% of cases followed by chronic osteomyelitis constituting 29.0%/30.5%. CONCLUSION: Summarily, chronic inflammatory lesions are rarely seen around the jaws and orofacial region. Larger studies on these rare lesions are advocated to further assess their prevalence globally.