Exéresis de las lesiones hiperplásicas de la cavidad bucal: Estudio retrospectivo de 128 casos

aims: based on our accumulated experience, the present study evaluates and discusses the indications, advantages and inconveniences of oral cavity epulis resection using the carbon dioxide laser (co2) versus the erbium:yag laser (er:yag), diode laser and surgical scalpel. material and methods: a retrospective study has been made of 120 patients involving the removal of 128 epulis lesions with the co2 laser, er:yag laser, diode laser and surgical scalpel. postoperative controls were carried out after 7, 15 and 30 days to evaluate healing and wound evolution, and after 3, 6 and 12 months to assess possible relapse. results: two groups were defined, based on the clinical and etiopathogenic characteristics of the excised lesions: gingival hyperplastic lesions (77 cases) and fibromatous hyperplasia (51 cases). the lower jaw was the most frequent location of gingival hyperplasia (51.9%). fibrous hyperplasia was the most common histological diagnosis (49 cases; 63.6%). percentage relapse following removal was 9.1%, of which 5 cases corresponded to fibrous hyperplasia. only one malignancy was identified, corresponding to infiltrating squamous cell carcinoma. on the other hand, of the 51 treated cases of fibromatous hyperplasia, 58.8% were located in the upper jaw. these were histologically confirmed to be fibrous hyperplasia, with relapse in 19.6% of the cases. conclusions: although the different surgical techniques used for removal of epulis of the oral cavity are appropriate, we consider the co2 laser to be the treatment of choice, since it offers a number of both intra- and postoperative advantages. on the other hand, all oral lesions require histological study to establish a firm diagnosis.