Odontogenic Tumors And Cysts

These lesions develop from remnants of the tooth germ, classified as epithelial, mesenchymal, or mixed. Inflammatory cysts like periapical (radicular) form at non-vital tooth apices due to chronic inflammation, while developmental ones such as dentigerous cysts surround unerupted teeth. Tumors like ameloblastoma exhibit aggressive local growth, potentially causing jaw expansion or tooth displacement.?

Key Types

  • Cysts: Periapical (most common, inflammatory), dentigerous (around impacted teeth), odontogenic keratocyst (aggressive, multilocular).?
  • Tumors: Ameloblastoma (benign but infiltrative), calcifying cystic odontogenic tumor (with ghost cells).?

Clinical Features

Patients often notice painless jaw swelling or discover lesions incidentally on radiographs, showing well-defined radiolucencies. Keratocysts link to Gorlin syndrome, risking recurrence post-treatment.?

Diagnosis and Treatment

Radiographs reveal unilocular/multilocular patterns; biopsy confirms histology. Enucleation or curettage treats cysts, while tumors may require resection with margins to prevent relapse.