Odontogenic tumors are neoplasms that develops exclusively in the gnathic bones; they originate from odontogenic tissues, by epithelial or mesenchymal proliferation, or both. AIM: To evaluate the incidence of odontogenic tumors in a specific institution, and to compare these findings with other studies in the literature. STUDY FORMAT: A cross-sectional cohort retrospective study. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The sample was obtained from the files of patients with odontogenic tumors diagnosed between January 1992 and March 2007 (15 years). Cases in which the diagnosis could be adapted to the new World Health Organization (WHO) of 2005 were included. Data such as gender, age, anatomical site, histological type and symptomatology were analyzed. RESULTS: Odontogenic tumors were 4.76% of all biopsied lesions within the studied period. The mean age was 30.7 years; 57% of the patients were male. The keratocystic odontogenic tumor was the most prevalent histological type (30%), followed by the ameloblastoma (23,7%). The rate of asymptomatic cases was 75.7%. CONCLUSION: Odontogenic tumors occurred more frequently in females, in the second and third decades of life, and more commonly in the mandible; most cases were asymptomatic.
classification; epidemiology; odontogenic tumors
