SIALOLITHIASIS, the formation of a calculus in the major and minor salivary glands or ducts, is a rare entity in children. At the present time 11 documented cases of submaxillary gland sialolithiasis in children have been reported.1-5 In all these cases, the salivary calculus was found either near or in the orifice of Wharton's duct. It was removed by either milking or simple intraoral incision of the duct.
Sialolithiasis in adults is a relatively common disease. The submaxillary gland is the most common site of calculus formation. Levy et al2 in their review of 180 patients with salivary calculi noted that 144 patients had calculi in the submaxillary gland. The average age of these patients was 48 and their youngest patient was 12. Hardy1 in his review of submaxillary calculus disease found 20 patients with this disease; his youngest patient was 15 years old.
Submaxillary gland obstruction