A clinical radiographic and histologic revaluation of a 10 years sample of surgically treated cysts of the jaws, with special emphasis on keratocysts.

The aim of this study was to compare the histologic features of the cysts as regards their radiographic and clinical aspects, in order to assess the accuracy of the diagnosis, the appropriateness of the treatment and the reliability of the follow-up. A sample of 173 cysts of the jaws was reviewed in accordance with the 1992 WHO histological classification. Of these cysts, 77.44% were inflammatory, 12.71% follicular and 8.67% keratocysts. The cysts were slightly more frequently located in the mandible (52.60%) than in the maxilla (47.39%) and they affected men more frequently (60.11%) than women (39.88%). However keratocysts and nasopalatine cysts were twice as frequent in women than in men. No recurrence of keratocysts was found, either in those correctly diagnosed at the moment of the first histologic examination, or in those firstly erroneously diagnosed as an other type of cysts. On the basis of the fairly high percentage of non-inflammatory cysts in adult patients, it can be suggested to perform an orthopantomography as a preventive measure, every 5 years, particularly when impaired teeth are present.