[Odontogenic keratocysts. Review of the literature and presentation of three clinical cases with different surgical approaches].

Abstract

The odontogenic keratocyst is an intra-osseous cystic lesion which generally affects the posterior part of the mandible and is characterized by the presence of a keratinized epithelium. Being asymptomatic, it is usually detected through a routine radiographic exam and it is considered to be an important lesion because of its agressiveness and its high recurrence rate. Surgery is the recommended treatment and the mode of management should take into account the agressiveness of the lesion while trying to preserve maximal anatomical and functional integrity for the patient. This paper reviews the recent literature on odontogenic keratocysts and reports our experience with three cases successfully managed in three different ways: marsupialization, decompression followed by enucleation with primary closure and finally by enucleation with packing for secondary intention healing.