The lower jaw cyst is a benign mass that consists of fibrous tissue and is filled with fluid. It is the most common bone tissue pathology; it is useless to treat it with home or folk methods. It is important to consult a dentist when the first symptoms occur, as this will prevent the growth of education and the development of various negative consequences and complications.
Description
The cyst of the lower jaw is a neoplasm. Outwardly, it looks like a pouch surrounded by fibrous tissue, inside of which an accumulation of purulent exudate occurs. Despite the fact that the cyst is considered a benign formation, it should be eliminated as soon as possible since it can cause significant discomfort and provoke the development of other pathological conditions.
In the photo, the cyst of the lower jaw can be difficult to see.
Causes of occurrence
The main factors provoking the development of the disease are the following.
- Dental pathological changes in hard tissues - caries not treated in a timely manner can lead to the spread of infection to the periodontium by means of root passages. When they enter the soft tissues, pathogens provoke the occurrence of pathological formations. This group of factors also includes doctors' mistakes made, for example, when filling damaged tooth canals.
- The development of inflammatory processes in the surrounding organs - gum disease, sinusitis and more. With inflammation, infectious agents quickly penetrate into the bone tissue from the nasal, maxillary sinuses. If the patient has low immunity, the infection can spread even from those foci of inflammation that are removed from the oral cavity.
- Injuries of a traumatic nature are not clinically apparent at first. A cavity of a pathological nature can arise from attempts to gnaw nuts, open bottles with teeth, fracture, bruise, shock, constant exposure to the prosthesis or the not turned edge of the tooth crown.
- The rarest factor in the occurrence of a lower jaw tooth cyst is a malformation, a congenital anomaly.
The main triggering factors
If to summarize all these factors, they can be reduced to two main ones - a decrease in the protective properties of the oral cavity, immunity as a result of weakening general health or a sharp increase in the activity of the pathogenic flora. Elemental non-compliance with hygiene rules can also contribute to the development of cysts.
Risk group
There is no risk group - patients of all age groups and both sexes can be affected by this disease. A cyst on the lower jaw can occur in children, adolescents, adult patients and elderly patients.
Symptomatology
The cyst of the lower jaw may not manifest itself with clinical symptoms for a long time. Signs of pathology become noticeable with an increase in education, the development of the inflammatory process, and worsening of the condition. The main signs of a cyst are:
- the appearance of pain;
- gum redness;
- the occurrence of swelling in the soft tissues;
- the formation of purulent accumulations;
- increase in body temperature;
- the appearance of general symptoms of malaise - weakness, fatigue, headache, drowsiness;
- deformation of the jaw bones;
- swelling of the jaw;
- the appearance of sinusitis, exacerbation of its symptoms.
Symptoms of a lower jaw cyst should not go unnoticed.
Other signs
In some cases, there is a change in the color of the tooth, the occurrence of an uncomfortable sensation when chewing. In each of these cases, it is important to immediately contact a dentist who can clarify the diagnosis and prescribe treatment measures. If the pathology is in a neglected state, the appearance of fistulas, swelling of the face, loosening of healthy teeth and so on is not ruled out.
Varieties of jaw cysts
Clinically, pathology manifests itself in different ways depending on what form the education has, how widespread it is, what dimensions it has, what are the causes of infection. Cysts of the lower jaw are usually classified as follows.
- Primary (primordial) cyst. Another name for such an entity is a keratocyst. This kind of cyst is a pathological growth of the eighth molar (wisdom tooth). The cyst can be single-chamber and multi-chamber, even after its removal, relapses may develop. Inside the formation there is not only purulent contents, but also crumbs of hard tissues.
- Radicular cyst of the lower jaw. This form of neoplasm is most often found and is diagnosed in 80% of all cases. Often it can be found on the upper jaw, but it can also be located on the lower jaw. The process of the appearance of a cyst begins with a protracted inflammatory process in the soft tissues located near the tooth. Under the influence of the body's defenses, a capsule of fibrous tissue is formed around the focus of inflammation. As a result, the formation ceases to spread to nearby tissues, purulent contents begin to accumulate inside it. Over time, the cyst lets the reticular processes growing into the surrounding tissue. Such proliferation, as a rule, leads to the degeneration of the cyst into a malignant tumor located in the jawbone. This specific development is characteristic only of the radicular cyst of the lower jaw.
- Retromolar. It develops as a result of protracted chronic inflammation that occurs as a response to complex teething. Quite often, the retromolar cyst is localized in the region of the eighth molars, which are characterized by such difficulties.
- Neodontogenic (naso-alveolar) cyst. It is located in the palatine-nasal canal, above the anterior incisors on the upper jaw. Outwardly, it looks like a basal cyst, however, it has certain features due to its location.
- Follicular cyst of the lower jaw. It is a formation similar to an tooth that has not yet erupted. An embryo or an already formed tooth may be inside the cyst.
- Aneurysmal cyst. A rare form of education that affects the lower jaw. There is blood or a reddish fluid inside the cyst. The only reason that provokes the development of such a cyst is hormonal disorders, including those accompanying puberty. Over time, the cyst grows, causing deformation of the jaw bones.
- Traumatic. Subsequently, mechanical injury occurs, the unsuccessful use of dental instruments, shock. A cyst may not manifest itself as clinical symptoms, therefore, they are usually found during a routine examination.
- Residental. It arises as a result of unsuccessful tooth extraction, and can be a complication after surgery.
Odontogenic and non-odontogenic
Most often, the epithelial layer inside the formation is destroyed. Therefore, experts subdivide all cysts into odontogenic and non-odontogenic. The former develop as a result of bone tissue pathologies, the latter do not belong to the gums and teeth and arise as a result of the development of inflammation in the facial bones. Neodontogenic cysts often develop in newborns, a genetic disorder is a factor in their occurrence.
There are other types of cystic formations, for example, an epidermoid cyst in the oral cavity. However, despite the fact that such a cyst is located in the jaw area, it is a skin disease and does not affect bone tissue.
In what cases is removal of a lower jaw tooth cyst indicated?
Therapy
In cases where the formation is small (up to 3 mm), it is called a granuloma. For some time, such formations should be under the supervision of a doctor. Treatment of cysts of the lower jaw is shown only if the granuloma begins to increase in size. The main methods of therapy for cystic formations are as follows.
- Manipulations of a therapeutic nature. Specialists prescribe washing of the root canals, which are then injected with drugs, and cementing tissues. Under the influence of drugs, cystic formation is condensed and neutralized. Therapeutic treatment can be used only in cases where the cyst has a radicular shape and a size of not more than 0.8 cm.
- All other methods involve surgery. Cystectomy is an operation to remove the infectious focus and adjacent tissues that have been affected.
- Cystotomy is the most popular method for removing the lower jaw cyst, which allows you to save the tooth. With cystomy, the anterior wall of the tumor is removed and the entire pathological contents are scraped out.
- Plastic cystectomy is a procedure similar to simple cystectomy. The main difference is that soft tissues do not suture after removal of the neoplasm. This method of surgical intervention is used, as a rule, in advanced conditions, accompanied by complications.
- Two-phase operation with a lower jaw cyst. It is a more complex procedure, which is prescribed exclusively in the most difficult cases. During the operation, the surgeon tries to maximally preserve intact teeth and tissues, while removing the infectious focus. Two-phase operation includes cystectomy and cystomy, which are performed in a specific order.
- Removing a cyst with a tooth. This method is used mainly when the cyst is localized in the zone of the eighth molar.
- If the pathology leads to the development of osteomyelitis, the patient is shown a more serious intervention, in which there is an autopsy of the infected area and a thorough curettage of the destroyed tissue and pus.
Complications
If a question arises about the need for therapy of cystic formations, it should be borne in mind that pathology can provoke the development of serious complications, among which:
- tooth loss;
- the appearance of fistulas;
- osteomyelitis development;
- the degeneration of formations in a tumor of a malignant nature;
- the appearance of purulent formations;
- the appearance of phlegmon on the neck, face;
- jaw fractures;
- inflammatory process in the periosteum;
- loosening of healthy teeth located in close proximity to the infectious focus.
Psychological problems
It is also important to remember that premature loss of a large number of teeth can provoke the development of not only physiological, but also psychological problems in a patient. That is why one should not ignore the emergence of education and its minimal manifestations.
Prevention of the development of pathology
The development of pathology can be prevented by observing certain preventive rules:
- it is important to brush your teeth daily in a quality manner;
- professional toothbrushing from tartar and plaque should be periodically carried out;
- it is necessary to consult a dentist in a timely manner if any unpleasant symptoms or pain occur;
- preventive examinations at the dentist, carried out twice a year, will detect pathological changes at the earliest stages of development;
- it is important to follow the rules of nutrition, eat a variety of foods saturated with various vitamins, minerals containing large amounts of fluorine, calcium.
It should be remembered that only timely diagnosis of the disease and therapy in accordance with the recommendations of a specialist will prevent the development of undesirable consequences.