Epidemiological study of oral lesions diagnosed in the histopathology labora-tory of the faculty of dentistry of the Federal University of Pará from 2017 to 2024

Abstract

Epidemiological studies based on the diagnosis of oral lesions are essential for mapping the frequency of benign and malignant alterations and, thus, contribute to a better understanding of the relationships between these lesions and the local population. In this regard, the objective of this study is to conduct an epidemiological survey of oral lesions diagnosed at the Histopathology and Immunohistochemistry Laboratory of the School of Dentistry of the Federal University of Pará (LAPI/FO/UFPA) from 2017 to 2024. For this purpose, a retrospective, observational, descriptive, and prevalence-based study was carried out based on cases identified at LAPI/FO/UFPA. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize and describe the main variables studied. The 450 cases analyzed in this research were grouped into 15 categories. The group with the largest number of diagnosed cases was that of inflammatory lesions, followed by non-neoplastic proliferative processes, malignant neoplasms, and alterations in the salivary glands. Among benign lesions, fibroma was the most common, while squamous cell carcinoma was the most frequently diagnosed malignant neoplasm. Additionally, females predominated, and the age group of 40 to 59 years was the most affected. Therefore, epidemiological surveys based on histopathological reports enable assessments grounded in the reliability of the diagnosis. Moreover, they allow for the identification of oral health patterns, contributing to the development of public policies and more effective prevention and treatment strategies.

 Keywords: Oral Pathology; Epidemiology; Differential Diagnosis; Dentistry.