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To describe the relative frequencies of oral biopsies among a sample of children aged 0–16 years and compare the results with an adult population as well as with previous studies. Information about age, gender, anatomic site, and histopathological diagnosis was retrieved from the files of the Oral Pathology Laboratory of the University of Fortaleza (Brazil). Diagnosis data of 1240 biopsies were classified into eight groups. Relative frequencies of biopsies increased with age. The 16 most frequent lesions accounted for 70 % of all biopsies. The most frequent diagnostic group was salivary gland pathology (30.4 %). Mucocele was the most common lesion (27.1 %), followed by dental follicle (5.6 %) and fibroma (4.4 %). These results were statistically different from those of the comparable adult population (p< 0.05). The most frequent lesion was mucocele, and this result is in agreement with the literature. There was a significant difference between the study paediatric and adult populations. The variations in distribution of lesions observed between the several studies were probably due to cultural differences between geographic areas but also to differing elements of the study design.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the discrepancy index between the clinical and histological diagnosis and the prevalence of epithelial dysplasia and carcinoma in 45 patients with potentially malignant epithelial oral lesions (PMEL).PATIENTS AND METHODS: We submitted 45 patients with PMEL to clinical examination and obtained a biopsy from each. The results of histological diagnosis were compared to the clinical diagnosis.