Radiographic findings and prognosis of simple bone cysts of the jaws.

OBJECTIVE

The aim was to evaluate the possibility of radiographic prediction of the prognosis of simple bone cysts (SBCs) of the jaws.

METHODS

The relationship between the radiographic findings and treatment outcome (healing or recurrence) was investigated in 31 cases treated in the authors' hospital and 108 published cases.

RESULTS

In 17 of our 31 cases, the lesions had radiographic findings of a preserved lamina dura adjacent to the lesion, with a smooth margin, and no or smooth bone expansion, and all of them healed after surgery. In the other 14 cases, there was resorption of the lamina dura, a scalloped margin, nodular bone expansion, root resorption, a sclerotic mass or multiple cavities, and nine cases of recurrence. Although there was incomplete information in the published case studies, similar results were noted.

CONCLUSIONS

It was concluded that there was a relationship between the radiographic features of the lesions and prognosis. Radiographic examination should be used not only for discovering and diagnosing the lesions, but also for predicting possible prognosis.