Paradigm Shift in World Health Organization Classification of Odontogenic Tumors - a 12 Years of Institutional Experience

Introduction: Due to a lack of consistent international identification standards, the classification of odontogenic tumors (OTs) has undergone various modifications over the years. Their prevalence and frequency distribution were significantly altered as a result of this reclassification. AIM The purpose of this study was to highlight the effect of shifting classification systems on the prevalence and relative frequency of odontogenic tumors. The secondary goal was to compare the demographics of distinct histological categories of odontogenic tumors to published literature. Methods This was hospital-based retrospective research that obtained case data on odontogenic tumors diagnosed between 2010 and 2022. The categorization was based on the 2005, 2017, and 2022 World Health Organization (WHO) classifications and the prevalence and frequency distribution of odontogenic tumors using the WHO 2005, 2017, and 2022 classifications. Results From 2010 to 2022, a total of 226,145 and 149 cases of odontogenic tumors were detected using the 2005, 2017, and 2022 WHO categorization methods. Conclusions The variability in odontogenic tumors might be attributed in part to continually evolving classification systems. Variations in the relative incidence of different histological kinds of odontogenic tumors may represent varied populations with varying genetic and environmental variables.