What factors influence mucocele recurrence?

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify whether age is associated with mucocele recurrence after excision.

Study design: This retrospective cohort study consisted of 492 patients who underwent oral mucocele excision at Boston Children's Hospital from 2010 to 2022. Fisher's exact tests were used to assess the association between age and mucocele recurrence. An adjusted logistic regression model was run to evaluate the effect of age on mucocele recurrence while controlling for confounders. A P value < .05 was considered significant.

Results: Mucocele recurrence was observed in 24 cases (4.9%). There was a significant association between age and mucocele recurrence (2.2% for <7 years vs. 2.9% for 7 to <13 years vs. 9.2% for 13 to <18 years vs. 8.9% for >18 years; P = .005). Sex; history of behavioral disorders; mucocele size, duration, and location; suture technique; and type of anesthesia were not significantly associated with recurrence (P > .135). An adjusted logistic regression model verified a significant association between age and mucocele recurrence (odds ratio, 1.053; 95% confidence interval, 1.019-1.088; P = .035).

Conclusions: Mucocele recurrence occurs infrequently in patients younger than 7 years and is most prevalent in the teenage to young adult patient population. For every year increase in age, the odds of mucocele recurrence increase by 5.3%.