The role of autophagy in odontogenesis, dental implant surgery, periapical and periodontal diseases.

Autophagy is a cellular process that is evolutionarily conserved, involving the sequestration of damaged organelles and proteins into autophagic vesicles, which subsequently fuse with lysosomes for degradation. Autophagy controls the development of many diseases by influencing apoptosis, inflammation, the immune response and different cellular processes. Autophagy plays a significant role in the aetiology of disorders associated with dentistry. Autophagy controls odontogenesis. Furthermore, it is implicated in the pathophysiology of pulpitis and periapical disorders. It enhances the survival, penetration and colonization of periodontal pathogenic bacteria into the host periodontal tissues and facilitates their escape from host defences. Autophagy plays a crucial role in mitigating exaggerated inflammatory reactions within the host's system during instances of infection and inflammation. Autophagy also plays a role in the relationship between periodontal disease and systemic diseases. Autophagy promotes wound healing and may enhance implant osseointegration. This study reviews autophagy's dento-alveolar effects, focusing on its role in odontogenesis, periapical diseases, periodontal diseases and dental implant surgery, providing valuable insights for dentists on tooth development and dental applications. A thorough examination of autophagy has the potential to discover novel and efficacious treatment targets within the field of dentistry.

The relationship of peri-implant soft tissue wound healing with implant cover screw design: Cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: Dental implants are frequently preferred method for oral rehabilitation all over the world. The incidence of various complications such as incorrect prosthesis, peri-implant mucositis, and peri-implantitis is high; premature loss of implants is encountered due to osteointegration process not being completed for some unexplained reasons. However, there is no study in the literature examining the nonfunctional period of implants. Closure screws of different implant companies have different designs like surface properties, and areas, where closure screws sit, are important reservoirs for microorganism colonization. Our study aims to evaluate the inflammatory response, epithelial maturation, and epithelial-connective tissue interaction around closure screws. METHODS: For this purpose, 52 implants belonging to five different implant companies were included in the study. Tissues removed over the cover screw during fitting of healing caps were used as biopsy material and for epithelial proliferation Ki-67, for epithelium-connective tissue interaction Syndecan-1, and for macrophage activation CD-68 expressions were evaluated by immunohistochemical analysis. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyzes were performed to evaluate the presence of gap between the implant and the cover screw. RESULTS: As a result of our study, intensity of subepithelial inflammation between groups wasn't statistically different. Differences in CD-68 and Syndecan-1 levels were obtained at the lamina propria level. H score of CD-68 was statistically significantly different in epithelium (p = 0.032), and H score of Syndecan-1 was different in lamina propria (p = 0.022). There wasn't a statistically significant difference between the groups for Ki-67 (p = 0.151). CONCLUSION: Our study results indicate that in addition to the implant surface morphology, the design of the closure screws is important in the inflammatory response and epithelial maturation that develops during wound healing. Although the inflammatory response is required for healing, osteointegration, and implant survival, further investigation is needed to investigate the relationship between initial neck resorption and closure screws with radiographic and microbiological examinations.

Vertical Bone Augmentation With Customized CAD/CAM Titanium Mesh for Severe Alveolar Ridge Defect in the Posterior Mandible: A Case Letter.

Implant rehabilitation after implant removal is a major challenge, especially in mandibular posterior arches. This case report describes the reconstruction of a severe vertical bone defect using customized titanium mesh covered by collagen membrane and solid advanced platelet-rich fibrin, combined with autogenous bone, deproteinized bovine bone mineral, and injectable platelet-rich fibrin after implant removal caused by advanced peri-implantitis. This individualized titanium mesh may be a reliable technique for severe alveolar ridge reconstruction, with the additional benefits of reduced surgery time and a simplified operation.

Effects of a locally administered risedronate/autogenous bone graft combination on bone healing in a critical-size rabbit defect model.

BACKGROUND: Risedronate is a bisphosphonate with poor oral absorption. An extremely hydrophilic molecule that has a high affinity for bone, risedronate also inhibits the farnesyl diphosphate synthase enzyme, inhibiting osteoclastic activity and reducing bone turnover and resorption. Autogenous bone grafts contain osteogenic cells and osteoinductive factors that are essential for bone regeneration and are therefore considered the gold standard. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the impact of local risedronate administered with autogenous bone grafts on the healing of defects in rabbit skulls using histological, histomorphometric, immunohistochemical, and three-dimensional radiological methods. METHODS: Two 10-mm-diameter critical-size defects were created in 16 rabbits and filled with autogenous bone graft and autogenous bone graft + 5 mg risedronate in the control (C) and risedronate (RIS) groups, respectively. Residual graft, new bone, soft tissue areas, and bone volume were evaluated in the 4- and 8-week study groups. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in bone graft, new bone, or soft tissue area between the groups at 4 weeks (p > 0.05). At 8 weeks, the new bone area was significantly higher in the RIS group than in the C group (p < 0.05). The h scores obtained from sialoprotein and osteopontin did not differ significantly between the groups (p > 0.05). The radiologically measured total bone volume was significantly higher in the RIS group than in the C group at both time points (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, risedronate enhanced the osteoconductive properties of autogenous bone grafts and rapidly created better-quality bone. This could improve future patient outcomes.

Classification of colon cancer patients into consensus molecular subtypes using support vector machines.

Background/aim: The molecular heterogeneity of colon cancer has made classification of tumors a requirement for effective treatment. One of the approaches for molecular subtyping of colon cancer patients is the consensus molecular subtypes (CMS), developed by the Colorectal Cancer Subtyping Consortium. CMS-specific RNA-Seq-dependent classification approaches are recent, with relatively low sensitivity and specificity. In this study, we aimed to classify patients into CMS groups using their RNA-seq profiles. Materials and methods: We first identified subtype-specific and survival-associated genes using the Fuzzy C-Means algorithm and log-rank test. We then classified patients using support vector machines with backward elimination methodology. Results: We optimized RNA-seq-based classification using 25 genes with a minimum classification error rate. In this study, we reported the classification performance using precision, sensitivity, specificity, false discovery rate, and balanced accuracy metrics. Conclusion: We present a gene list for colon cancer classification with minimum classification error rates and observed the lowest sensitivity but the highest specificity with CMS3-associated genes, which significantly differed due to the low number of patients in the clinic for this group.

Evaluation of adipokines and inflammatory mediator expression levels in patients with periodontitis and peri-implantitis: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to analyze the mRNA and protein expression of adiponectin, leptin, visfatin, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interleukin (IL)-6 levels in periodontitis and peri-implantitis sites in systemically healthy individuals and to investigate the influence of the presence of current periodontitis on their expression levels in peri-implantitis sites. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Soft tissue biopsy samples were collected from 60 systemically healthy patients [15 periodontally healthy patients (group I), 16 patients with periodontitis (group II), 15 patients with peri-implantitis (group III), and 14 patients with peri-implantitis and periodontitis (group IV)]; mRNA expression levels of adiponectin, leptin, visfatin, TNF-α, and IL-6 were measured by quantitative real-time PCR; and their protein levels were assessed by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The mRNA expression levels of all biomarkers were significantly higher for group II compared to group I, while significantly higher levels of leptin, TNF-α, and IL-6 were observed in group III in comparison with group I. Group II exhibited significantly higher mRNA expression of adiponectin and TNF-α than group III. Group IV showed significantly higher expression levels of adiponectin, leptin, TNF-α, and IL-6 compared to group III. Regarding the expression of protein levels, which was estimated through quantification of the histoscore, both groups II and III presented higher H-scores than group I for all biomarkers except leptin. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of current periodontitis may enhance expression levels of adiponectin, leptin, TNF-α, and IL-6 in peri-implant soft tissue. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The presence of periodontitis is an important risk factor for the severity of peri-implant inflammation as well as the onset of peri-implantitis.

Versatility of high resolution ultrasonography in the assessment of granulomas and radicular cysts: a comparative in vivo study.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate and compare the diagnostic potential of high resolution ultrasound with periapical radiographs (PR) and CBCT in assessing granulomas and radicular cysts. METHODS: This study included a total of 33 teeth from 33 patients with periapical lesions. Subjects were distributed among three groups. A consisted of teeth that were extracted. B consisted of teeth treated with root-canal treatment followed by apical surgery. C consisted of teeth treated with root-canal treatment only. Pre-treatment PR, ultrasound and CBCT images were obtained for Groups A, B and C and 6 month post-treatment PR and ultrasound images were obtained for Groups B and C. In addition, histopathological analysis was performed on lesions in Groups A and B. Lesions were classified as either cystic lesions or granulomas. Width, height, depth, surface area and volume of lesions were measured using the built-in softwares of the appropriate imaging modalities. Measurements were compared by Wilcoxon and paired sample t tests. Ultrasound and histopathological findings were compared with κ and Mc Nemar. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: κ coefficient (0.667; p = 0.002) suggested good agreement between ultrasound and histopathology. No statistically significant differences were found among periapical radiography, CBCT and ultrasound in the pre-treatment measurements of lesion width ( p = 0.308) or between CBCT and periapical radiography in the pre-treatment measurements of lesion height ( p = 0.863). In all cases, mean measurement values for all variables were lower for ultrasound than for CBCT. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound provided useful information for the diagnosis and assessment of granulomas and radicular cysts.

Effect of topical ozonetherapy on gingival wound healing in pigs: histological and immuno-histochemical analysis

Abstract In this study, the effects of ozonetherapy on secondary wound healing were evaluated histologically and immuno-histochemically. Material and Methods: 8 healthy pigs were used in this study. Six wounds with 10 mm in diameter were created through the punch technique on the palatinal gingiva of each pig. Ozone gas was applied on only 3 wounds (test group) and the remaining 3 were left to natural healing (control group). Biopsy samples were taken from one of the wounds in each group on the third day, from another wound of each group on the seventh day, and from another one on the tenth day. Routine histological analysis and immuno-histochemical staining were performed to investigate transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) and (VEGF) expressions. Results: No statistical difference was found between the test and control groups in terms of collagen fibers, epithelial formation and inflammation scores. A VEGF expression found in the test group was statistically higher than control group samples taken on the 3rd and 7th day. There was no statistical difference between the test and control groups in terms of TGF-β expression on any of the sampling days. Conclusion: The topical application of ozone gas could be effective in the early stages of wound healing by increasing the amount of VEGF expression. Clinical Relevance: Topical application of ozone gas may be effective in the early stages of oral wound healing.

Effect of topical ozonetherapy on gingival wound healing in pigs: histological and immuno-histochemical analysis.

OBJECTIVES: In this study, the effects of ozonetherapy on secondary wound healing were evaluated histologically and immuno-histochemically. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Material and Methods: 8 healthy pigs were used in this study. Six wounds with 10 mm in diameter were created through the punch technique on the palatinal gingiva of each pig. Ozone gas was applied on only 3 wounds (test group) and the remaining 3 were left to natural healing (control group). Biopsy samples were taken from one of the wounds in each group on the third day, from another wound of each group on the seventh day, and from another one on the tenth day. Routine histological analysis and immuno-histochemical staining were performed to investigate transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-ß) and (VEGF) expressions. RESULTS: Results: No statistical difference was found between the test and control groups in terms of collagen fibers, epithelial formation and inflammation scores. A VEGF expression found in the test group was statistically higher than control group samples taken on the 3rd and 7th day. There was no statistical difference between the test and control groups in terms of TGF-ß expression on any of the sampling days. CONCLUSIONS: Conclusion: The topical application of ozone gas could be effective in the early stages of wound healing by increasing the amount of VEGF expression. Clinical Relevance: Topical application of ozone gas may be effective in the early stages of oral wound healing.

Effects of local alendronate administration on bone defect healing. Histomorphometric and radiological evaluation in a rabbit model.

PURPOSE: To performed a histomorphometric and radiological study to evaluate the effects of alendronate sodium administered locally in mandibular bone defects created in rabbits. METHODS: Two circular defects 5 mm in diameter were created bilaterally in the mandibular corpus of 20 New Zealand rabbits (i.e., four defects per animal). Each defect received one of four treatments: no treatment (EC group), alendronate irrigation (AL group), autogenous bone grafting (AG group), or alendronate irrigation with autogenous bone grafting (AL+AG group). Histomorphometric and radiological assessments were conducted at 4 and 8 weeks after surgery. RESULTS: Between-group comparisons of the new bone area, the value of the AL+AG group was significantly lower thanthe remaining three groups at 4 weeks postoperatively. In all groups, the new bone area was significantly larger at 8 weeks than at 4 weeks. The residual graft area at 4 and 8 weeks was significantly higher in the AL+AG group than in the AG group, although it was significantly smaller at 8 weeks than at 4 weeks in both these groups. CONCLUSION: The use of alendronate sodium in conjunction with autogenous bone grafting improves the osteoconductive properties of the graft, enhances graft retention in the defect, and improves ossification.

Effects of local alendronate administration on bone defect healing. Histomorphometric and radiological evaluation in a rabbit model

Abstract Purpose: To performed a histomorphometric and radiological study to evaluate the effects of alendronate sodium administered locally in mandibular bone defects created in rabbits. Methods: Two circular defects 5 mm in diameter were created bilaterally in the mandibular corpus of 20 New Zealand rabbits (i.e., four defects per animal). Each defect received one of four treatments: no treatment (EC group), alendronate irrigation (AL group), autogenous bone grafting (AG group), or alendronate irrigation with autogenous bone grafting (AL+AG group). Histomorphometric and radiological assessments were conducted at 4 and 8 weeks after surgery. Results: Between-group comparisons of the new bone area, the value of the AL+AG group was significantly lower thanthe remaining three groups at 4 weeks postoperatively. In all groups, the new bone area was significantly larger at 8 weeks than at 4 weeks. The residual graft area at 4 and 8 weeks was significantly higher in the AL+AG group than in the AG group, although it was significantly smaller at 8 weeks than at 4 weeks in both these groups. Conclusion: The use of alendronate sodium in conjunction with autogenous bone grafting improves the osteoconductive properties of the graft, enhances graft retention in the defect, and improves ossification.

A Combined ULBP2 and SEMA5A Expression Signature as a Prognostic and Predictive Biomarker for Colon Cancer.

Background: Prognostic biomarkers for cancer have the power to change the course of disease if they add value beyond known prognostic factors, if they can help shape treatment protocols, and if they are reliable. The aim of this study was to identify such biomarkers for colon cancer and to understand the molecular mechanisms leading to prognostic stratifications based on these biomarkers. Methods and Findings: We used an in house R based script (SSAT) for the in silico discovery of stage-independent prognostic biomarkers using two cohorts, GSE17536 and GSE17537, that include 177 and 55 colon cancer patients, respectively. This identified 2 genes, ULBP2 and SEMA5A, which when used jointly, could distinguish patients with distinct prognosis. We validated our findings using a third cohort of 48 patients ex vivo. We find that in all cohorts, a combined ULBP2/SEMA5A classification (SU-GIB) can stratify distinct prognostic sub-groups with hazard ratios that range from 2.4 to 4.5 (p≤0.01) when overall- or cancer-specific survival is used as an end-measure, independent of confounding prognostic parameters. In addition, our preliminary analyses suggest SU-GIB is comparable to Oncotype DX colon(®) in predicting recurrence in two different cohorts (HR: 1.5-2; p≤0.02). SU-GIB has potential as a companion diagnostic for several drugs including the PI3K/mTOR inhibitor BEZ235, which are suitable for the treatment of patients within the bad prognosis group. We show that tumors from patients with worse prognosis have low EGFR autophosphorylation rates, but high caspase 7 activity, and show upregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines that relate to a relatively mesenchymal phenotype. Conclusions: We describe two novel genes that can be used to prognosticate colon cancer and suggest approaches by which such tumors can be treated. We also describe molecular characteristics of tumors stratified by the SU-GIB signature.

Peripheral osteoma in an unusual location on the mandible.

Osteoma is a benign, slow-growing, painless, discrete lesion which is characterised with the proliferation of a compact or cancellous bone. Osteomas are rare on the jaws. Lesions of the mandible developed most often in the condyle, angle and margin. Osteoma developed on the genial tubercle area had only been reported in one case. A 50-year-old female patient has been admitted to our department with the symptom of a hard mass under the chin area. In extra-oral and radiographic examinations, a 1×1 cm size, round, palpable, immobile, radiopaque mass has been determined on the genial tubercle area. The lesion has been completely removed under local anaesthesia by extra-oral approach. Her recovery period was uneventful. Osteoma diagnosis was confirmed with histopathological examination. There is no recurrence at 3-year follow-up. The purpose of this case report is to present a peripheral osteoma case that occurred in the genial tubercle area which is an unusual place.

Comparison of Radiofrequency and Electrocautery With Conventional Scalpel Incisions.

PURPOSE: The disadvantages of conventional scalpels, including insufficient control of bleeding, prompted us to search for new alternative methods such as electrosurgery and radiosurgery. In this study, the conventional scalpel was compared with radiosurgery and electrosurgery for wound healing with assessment of lateral heat production, inflammation, and instrument performance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Incisions were made in the palatal mucosa of 42 Wistar rats using a scalpel, electrocautery instrument, or radiofrequency instrument. Postoperative hemostasis, tissue coagulation, and tissue sticking were measured, and pain evaluation through weight loss was recorded. Gingival biopsy specimens from the surgical area were obtained at the time of surgery and 2, 4, 7, and 14 days postoperatively and were evaluated immunohistochemically for inducible nitric oxide synthase and heat shock protein 70. Kruskal-Wallis, 1-way analysis of variance, and Mann-Whitney U tests were used for statistical evaluation. RESULTS: The rats in the electrosurgery and radiosurgery groups had aggressively greater weight loss when compared with the scalpel group in the first 7 days. Hemostasis was better in the electrocautery group, tissue coagulation was greater in the radiofrequency group (P < .001), and tissue sticking was lesser in the scalpel group (P < .001) compared with the other groups. Inducible nitric oxide synthase expression and heat shock protein 70 expression were similar in all 3 groups. CONCLUSIONS: Electrosurgery performed better regarding hemostasis, whereas a scalpel was superior in terms of tissue sticking and tissue coagulation. Radiosurgery was superior regarding hemostasis when compared with a conventional scalpel, but it was not as successful as electrosurgery.

Histological Evaluation of the Effect of Concentrated Growth Factor on Bone Healing.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of concentrated growth factors (CGF) on the healing of peri-implant bone defects in an animal model. STUDY DESIGN: Twenty 4-month-old New Zealand White rabbits, each with an average weight of 3.5 kg, were used in this blinded, prospective, experimental study. Two implants were placed and 2 peri-impant defects were prepared in each rabbit tibia. Bone defects were created monocortically in the tibia of each rabbit using a trephine burr with a diameter of 8 mm. The implants were installed in each hole. The rabbits were divided into 4 groups: in group E, the defect was left empty; in group CGF, the defects were filled only with CGF; in group AB, the defects were filled with autogenous bone; and in group AB+CGF, the defects were filled with autogenous bone and CGF. The animals were euthanized at week 8 postimplantation. All implants from the 20 animals were fixed in 10% formalin and evaluated histomorphometrically. RESULTS: The mean defect area was highest in group E and lowest in group CGF+AB (P <0.05). The area of the defect differed significantly between groups AB and CGF+AB (P <0.05), but not between groups CGF and E. Implant-to-bone contact was lowest in group E. In the defect areas of groups CGF, AB and CGF+AB, a small amount of new bone formed around the implant. CONCLUSIONS: In this animal model of a peri-implant bone defect, restoration was achieved using a combination of autogenous bone and CGF. Further studies are needed to determine the behavior of CGF when used in the repair of bone defects in humans.

Familial florid osseous dysplasia: a report with review of the literature.

There are three types of osseous dysplasia: periapical cemental dysplasia (PCD), focal cemento-osseous dysplasia (FCD) and florid osseous dysplasia (FOD). While PCD is often observed in mandibular anterior teeth, FCD mainly affects mandibular posterior teeth. FOD, on the other hand, commonly involves both jaws. FOD is a type of sclerosing disease that is characterised by intense opaque masses and many areas with different densities. Genetic heritance of FOD is unusual, with only a few reported cases. We describe a case of FOD that affected three family members, discuss its clinical, radiological and histological characteristics, and review the literature.

Effect of Porous Titanium Granules on Bone Regeneration and Primary Stability in Maxillary Sinus: A Human Clinical, Histomorphometric, and Microcomputed Tomography Analyses.

The aim of this randomized controlled study was to comparatively analyze the new bone (NB), residual bone, and graft-bone association in bone biopsies retrieved from augmented maxillary sinus sites by histomorphometry and microcomputed tomography (MicroCT) in a split-mouth model to test the efficacy of porous titanium granules (PTG) in maxillary sinus augmentation. Fifteen patients were included in the study and each patient was treated with bilateral sinus augmentation procedure using xenograft (equine origine, granule size 1000-2000 µm) and xenograft (1 g) + PTG (granule size 700-1000 µm, pore size >50 µm) (1 g), respectively. After a mean of 8.4 months, 30 bone biopsies were retrieved from the implant sites for three-dimensional MicroCT and two-dimensional histomorphometric analyses. Bone volume and vital NB percentages were calculated. Immediate after core biopsy, implants having standard dimensions were placed and implant stability quotient values were recorded at baseline and 3 months follow-up. There were no significant differences between groups according to residual bone height, residual bone width, implant dimensions, and implant stability quotient values (baseline and 3 months). According to MicroCT and two-dimensional histomorphometric analyses, the volume of newly formed bone was 57.05% and 52.67%, and 56.5% and 55.08% for xenograft + PTG and xenograft groups, respectively. No statistically significant differences found between groups according to NB percentages and higher Hounsfield unit values were found for xenograft + PTG group. The findings of the current study supports that PTG, which is a porous, permanent nonresorbable bone substitute, may have a beneficial osteoconductive effect on mechanical strength of NB in augmented maxillary sinus.

Evaluation of the effects of platelet-rich fibrin on bone regeneration in diabetic rabbits.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the effect of platelet-rich fibrin on bone regeneration in critical size defects in the calvaria of diabetic rabbits. STUDY DESIGN: In total, 40 male New Zealand rabbits, were divided into two groups a non-diabetic control group (Group A) and a diabetic experimental group (Group B). Two bicortical circular defects 15 mm in diameter were created in the parietal bone of each animal. Each group was further divided into four groups: subgroup E, the defect was left empty; subgroup PRF, the defects were filled only with PRF; subgroup AB, the defects were filled with autogenous bone; subgroup AB + PRF, the defects were filled with autogenous bone combined with PRF. The animals sacrificed at 4 weeks and 8 weeks. Bone formation was assessed by micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) scanning, histological and histomorphometric analysis. RESULT: The total percent of new bone was the lowest in group A-E (6.77 ± 0.21 at 4 weeks, 11.01 ± 0.37 at 8 weeks) and highest in group A-AB + PRF (21.66 ± 0.91 at 4 weeks, 37.46 ± 1.25 at 8 weeks; p < 0.05). The mean percent of new bone was greatest in group B-AB + PRF at 4 and 8 weeks (16.87 ± 0.92, 29.59 ± 1.09, respectively) and lowest in group B-E (5.83 ± 0.09 at 4 weeks, 7.36 ± 1.02 at 8 weeks). CONCLUSION: This study, despite its limitations, showed that PRF can be used safely and that PRF induced bone healing in diabetic rabbits.

Facial Candidal Abscess in a Patient with Unknown Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

INTRODUCTION: Facial candidal abscess is an infection with a fungal cause which was presented in this case such a rarity. We report a rare case of facial abscess due to Candida species in a patient with unknown diabetes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The patient presented with a longstanding firm swelling which occurred 2 weeks ago and did not show any improvement of healing process in spite of surgical and medical treatments. MRI examinations were conclusive and compatible with abscess, so she underwent surgical intervention. Facial candidal abscess was the final diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that, in persistent abscesses, invasive candidiasis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of bacterial infections as it generally affects individuals with diabetes or general defects in the immune system, or those who use widespread antibiotics and steroids.

Oral mucosal lesions: a retrospective review of one institution's 13-year experience.

BACKGROUND/AIM: To investigate the relative frequency of biopsied nonneoplastic oral mucosal lesions in Ankara, Turkey. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Biopsy records of a single center from 2000-2012 were retrospectively collected. Diagnosis was recorded and evaluated with respect to patient demographics (age, sex) and location of the lesion. RESULTS: Of 11,980 biopsies, 1732 (14.5%) were mucosal nonneoplastic lesions. Hyperplastic lesions (n= 1000, 57.7%) with fibroepithelial hyperplasia in 30.9% of patients were the most common type of oral nonneoplastic lesions. The mean age of patients differed with respect to type of mucosal lesion, tending to be lower in patients with reactive lesions. Dermatoses showed a female predominance. CONCLUSION: Our ,findings revealed that hyperplastic lesions were the most common among nonneoplastic oral mucosa lesions. Geographic and ethnic.differences of patients with various types of oral mucosal lesions require further investigation.