Centrally occurring salivary gland neoplasms of the jaws are rare. The clinical and histologic features of 11 cases including mucoepidermoid carcinoma, adenoid cystic carcinoma, and adenocarcinoma were reviewed. The patients ranged in age from 10 to 67 years, with a mean age of 45 years. Males and females were almost equally affected. Ten cases were intramandibular and 1 case was of maxillary origin. Eight of 11 tumors either were histologically associated with an odontogenic cyst, or there was some recent history of exodontia in the tumor area. A review of the pertinent literature yielded 127 previously reported centrally occurring primary salivary gland tumors arising within the maxilla and mandible. An analysis of these cases, their clinical and histologic characteristics, as well as a discussion regarding their probable histogenesis and new suggestions for clinical staging, has been included.