Hidden danger for the teeth Recognizing and treating jaw cysts

Jaw cysts are among the more common disorders in the mouth. Especially middle-aged men are often among those affected. "Still, most people do not know about their illness, because they often do not cause pain. In many cases, we discover cysts on x-ray images by chance, because they are a dark spot in the jaw, "says Dr. med. Dr. Manfred Nilius, M. Sc., Specialist in Oral and Maxillofacial Plastic Surgery and Head of the Praxisklinik Nilius in Dortmund.

Toothache should be taken seriously. An untreated inflammation can quickly spread to the jawbone. (Image: Andrey Popov / fotolia.com)

Threat to the jaw

Cysts are filled with fluid or scar tissue, also called granulation tissue, filled cavities in the jaw tissue. They often form due to dead teeth or inflammation, but also a disorder during tooth development comes as a cause in question. However, pain only occurs when the bladder presses on the nerves of a tooth or becomes inflamed. "Nevertheless, a jaw cyst should be removed as soon as possible after their discovery. Because untreated, it continues to grow and displaces healthy jaw tissue, which in the worst case can lead to tooth failure, "warns Dr. Nilius.

Gentle removal

For the treatment of a cyst two different methods can be used. A so-called cystectomy is suitable for smaller tissue pockets. "This process refers to the surgical removal of the entire capsule. In doing so, we gain access to the cyst through the mouth and peel it out of the jawbone. Then we fill up the resulting hole with a bone substitute material and sew it up again ", explains Dr. med. Nilius. For larger specimens, dentists open the bladder by cutting a small window into the tissue pocket. As a result, the liquid contained runs off and the cavity gradually decreases until the doctor can also remove the remaining cyst after a few weeks.

After an intervention on the jaw, the affected area usually swells and causes slight pain. In the first few days patients should therefore take care of themselves and eat soft foods.