Sialolithiasis is one of the most common diseases of the salivary gland. The submandibular gland and its duct appear to be the most susceptible. However, giant sialoliths have rarely been reported in the literature. Two case reports of giant sialoliths in the submandibular duct alone are presented. In both patients, a transoral removal of the stone was done under local anesthesia. The stones were 35 mm and 25 mm long, respectively. Follow-up showed asymptomatic and normal functioning glands. The etiology, pathogenesis and management of such giant sialoliths are discussed.It is interesting to note that both patients remained relatively asymptomatic in spite of such long-standing sialoliths. The glands also recovered normal function quickly following removal of stones, which is interesting as such longstanding stones usually produce irrereversible functional damage to the gland. A conservative approach to the gland will spare the patient the morbidity associated with gland removal.

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ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of odontogenic jaw cysts in a Libyan population and to compare the data with previously published reports from other countries.Materials and methodsWe retrieved and analyzed 2190 case notes and biopsy records of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and the Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Al Arab Medical Sciences University, Benghazi, Libya, dating from January 1990 to December 2005. There were 326 cases (14.8%) of diagnosed odontogenic cysts among the 2190 biopsies performed during this period. The cases were analyzed for age and sex distribution, site of presentation, association with impacted teeth, and the method of treatment.ResultsThe male to female ratio of patients was 1.3:1 Radicular cysts accounted for 222 cases (68.1%), followed by dentigerous cysts (n=49, 15%) and odontogenic keratocysts (n=43, 14.1%). Mean ages of the patients were, respectively, 31.7, 22.7 and 36.1 years. The maxilla was more commonly involved than the mandible (1.3:1). The anterior maxilla was the commonest site (n=132, 37.4%) followed by the posterior mandible (n=96, 29.4%). Fifty three cases were associated with impacted teeth, and the highest frequency was for dentigerous cysts (n=37). Enucleation and curettage was performed on 300 patients, marsupialization on 14, and marginal/segmental resection on 12.ConclusionTo our knowledge, this is the first such study on a Libyan population. Our results are comparable to studies from other countries. Knowledge of the relative frequencies and sites of presentation of odontogenic cysts in different ethno-geographic backgrounds is essential for the early diagnosis and management of these benign yet potentially destructive lesions.

Clinical implications An increase in the reports of oral squamous cell cancer (OSCC) in younger patients with no or minimal history of traditional risk factors is of a grave concern and more research needs to be done to identify and redefine the risk factors for education, prevention and diagnosis.