Tooth and Jaw Cyst Treatments

Cysts are cavities that contain a liquid or thick viscous fluid that settle in soft tissue or bones, and are surrounded by tissues. Their growth is slow, but they expand, albeit slowly. The cyst can occur in any part of the human body. The most common area is the chin.

Jaw Cyst 

Jaw cysts usually do not cause any symptoms, so they are not easily noticed by the patient. For this reason, many patients apply to the doctor for treatment after the cysts develop. In delayed treatments, advanced damage can be observed in the jaw bones. Since the jaw cyst does not show itself with pain or pain in the early period, its existence for many years can only be removed by surgical intervention. Jaw cyst, which is not intervened and treated in time; It can cause problems including facial swelling and inflammation, deformation and loss of function in the jawbone, jaw tumor (benign or malignant) and difficult to treat processes. 

Like other cyst formations, jaw cysts may not present clinical signs in the first stage. Since the chin cyst does not cause pain and ache, it is difficult to feel, but as it grows, it becomes palpable. Jaw cyst symptoms are as follows;

• If inflammation has started in the area where the cyst formed, you may feel pain.
• As the chin cyst grows and develops, it may press on the nerves and cause numbness in the areas it presses.
• Jaw cyst may cause problems such as loosening and shedding of teeth, fractures and injuries in the lower jawbone in advanced stages.
• It may cause swelling in the face area over time.

The chin cyst is named according to the region where it is located. If it is located at the floor of the mouth, it is called “ranula” and if it is on the gingiva, it is called “epulis”. This cyst is usually clear, sometimes bluish in color, and contains a clear fluid. Jaw cyst usually disappears spontaneously. If it makes you feel aches and pains and prevents mouth movements such as biting, chewing and yawning, you should consult a specialist dentist. The dentist will drain the liquid from the cyst in the jaw with a sterile needle. If you are facing a recurring cyst problem, the cyst will be treated with an operation by jaw surgeons. Jaw cyst surgery;

• In jaw cyst operations, if the cyst size is small, it is removed as a whole in one piece. It is a procedure that can be performed under local or general anesthesia. The gingiva in the area where the cyst is located is removed, the cyst is cleaned, and the gingiva is closed by suturing the area.
• If there is a very large cyst, it is first reduced and then surgically removed. There are two methods for large cysts; drainage and marsupialization. In the drainage operation, a drain is placed where the cyst is located and the cyst is reduced. The shrinking cyst is surgically removed. In marsupialization, a small hole is opened in the area where the cyst is located, the fluid inside is drained, the pressure is reduced and the cyst is shrunk. Afterwards, the cyst is removed with a similar surgical intervention. 

Tooth and Gum Cysts 

Dental cysts are a disease that affects tooth roots and gums over time. This infection that occurs in the tooth can spread to other tissues and tooth roots without the patient noticing. This causes the formation of “abscess”. If the infection has reached the roots of the teeth, it can cause tooth loss. Tooth root swelling and pain can be a sign of the disease. If the infection has progressed to kill the root of the tooth, there is no feeling of pain. Likewise, in the first stage of cyst formation, there is no feeling of pain, so the person may realize the situation late. Cysts usually cannot be treated with medication and therefore require surgical intervention. If the tooth cyst is not intervened in a timely manner, the infection that occurs in the tooth roots can spread to the internal organs by mixing with the blood over time, which can lead to serious health problems. Tooth cyst symptoms are gradually observed as follows; 

• As the tooth cyst develops where it is formed, swelling occurs in the soft tissue cells around the roots.
• Pain and pain occur over time in swellings.
• Pain may intensify in the following periods and swelling becomes visible.
• The tooth in the area of ​​swelling begins to become sensitive.
• Bad breath occurs and pain increases.
• Rocking is observed in the tooth.
• When the pus in the cyst starts to flow, the pain is relieved, and the tooth roots are now dead as a result of the infection.
• Fatigue is observed.

There are five different types of dental cysts. 

Dentigerous Cysts: It occurs around impacted teeth. Since it causes bone loss in this area, the part where the cyst is formed should be removed along with the impacted teeth. They are the most common cysts. It is especially common during the eruption of wisdom teeth.

Periapical Cysts: It occurs at the tip of the tooth roots. It is observed after infection in the tooth. Cysts that are not treated quickly cause bone loss in the tooth roots. At this stage, the tooth is either extracted or root canal treatment is applied. 

Residual Cyst: It occurs when the lesioned area is not cleaned sufficiently after the extraction of infected teeth. 

Lateral Periodontal Cysts: These cysts do not show clinical signs and do not cause pain. Usually revealed on X-ray. Cysts that cause tooth loss. It is more common in individuals over the age of 50. 

Rash Cyst: It is a type of cyst that affects children. It occurs in milk teeth. When milk teeth erupt, they can fall out with the tooth. In such cases, it should be treated. If the tooth falls out, there is no need for treatment. 

The main cause of dental cysts is the lack of proper oral and dental care. Failure to pay attention to dental cleaning after feeding causes plaque formation on the teeth over time. Plaques produce acid, and this acid can dissolve tooth enamel and progress to the core of the tooth. As a result, pits are formed and cysts form. Paying sufficient attention to oral hygiene; It includes habits such as flossing once a day, brushing teeth at least twice, and using mouthwash.

How is a dental cyst treated? 

In the first stage of dental cyst treatment, it is aimed to dry the inflammation in the tooth. If the inflammation has reached a degree that causes severe pain and suffering, antibiotic treatment is considered appropriate. After the antibiotic treatment is over, the area where the abscess is located is cleaned with sterile devices. If necessary, root canal treatment is applied to the tooth. Surgical intervention is quite easy in small cysts. In some cases, the cyst may remain hidden in the jaw even if the tooth in which the cyst is observed is extracted. This carries the risk of transforming into a jaw cyst over time. For this reason, it is very important to intervene in the dental cyst before it is too late and completely clean the cyst from the area. Volumetric tomography may be requested before surgery to determine the size of the cyst. Bone losses can be detected in advance as a result of tomography. Surgical procedures are performed more safely with three-dimensional tomography. Dental cysts usually cannot be treated with medication, surgical intervention is mandatory. Regular follow-ups after the surgical procedure are an important part of the treatment.