Spectrum of Oral Lesions Histopathologically Diagnosed at the Faculty of Dentistry, Universidad de Costa Rica

The oral mucosa presents different lesions and conditions, which must be identified through a systematic and detailed examination of the oral cavity aided by a precise medical history and diagnostic tests, pillars, all of the diagnostic process, since this influences the prognosis and the implementation of treatment at the right time. To determine the spectrum of lesions in the oral cavity diagnosed through histopathological study and define their prevalence in the Faculty of Dentistry, Universidad de Costa Rica, during the period 2016–2019. The study was descriptive and retrospective, based on data from the histopathological reports of patients who underwent biopsy. The statistical techniques used were descriptive, with frequency distribution and crossing of variables. The statistical processing of the data was designed in a database created in Excel. The population consisted of 160 histopathological reports, of which 11 were excluded. The age range was 2–78 years old, with the 51–60-year group predominating. The predominant gender was female (58.4%). The anatomical site that prevailed was the tongue (20.0%). The histopathological groups of reactive and hyperplastic lesions (36.1%) and focal fibrous hyperplasia lesions were those that prevailed in the study. Determining the prevalence of lesions in the oral cavity in a specific population helps to know the type and severity of lesions that tend to occur, as well as identifying different patterns of diseases, thus contextualizing the general and at-risk population, which strengthens early diagnosis and timely treatment.