Cyst
After diagnosis, the treatment options for the majority of cysts are straightforward.
In some cases a ‘do nothing, wait and see’ policy is appropriate. In the majority of cases, however, surgical removal of a cyst is necessary and the treatment of choice. The precise strategy and choice of operative technique depends on the location, nature and size of the lesion, as well as on the patient (age, fitness, preference – if there are different options). Some of these operations may be carried out under local anaesthesia, others require general anaesthesia, mainly depending on the size and location of the cyst.
The preferred surgical treatment of a cyst is likely to be its complete removal. Where this is not desirable or possible (for example, for large cysts where complete removal would cause extensive local damage, or for patients who are unfit for more extensive surgery), less radical surgical treatment approaches exist.
Only few cysts of the jaws require more aggressive forms of removal which may include resection of bone in contact with the lining of the cyst.