Everything You Need to Know About Dental Cysts

Table of Contents

Dental cysts are closed sacs of tissue, filled with air or other soft materials or fluids. They generally develop in the soft oral tissues such as around or next to a tooth within the jawbone, lips and gums. They grow gradually causing toothaches, irritation and pain in the jaw. If they are not treated in time, then serious complications may occur which may require surgery.

These cysts are inflammatory in nature which begin to seed when the old dental pulp (nerve) starts to wear out at the root of your affected tooth. When the pulp dies the inflammation begins which exerts immense pressure around the bone structure of the compromised tooth. This leads to weakening of the bone which may cause different oral health problems. To find out everything about dental cysts such as their symptoms, types, preventive measures and treatment options, keep reading this blog-post by Dentistry on Dusk.

Symptoms

An infected dental cyst can cause pain and inflammation. Also, a cyst in the mucosal lining of your mouth may not attract your attention and you may treat it as a blister or a lesion. Unless the cyst is infected or enlarged into a lump, it may get unnoticed or undetected by an x-ray or another diagnostic scan.

Reasons Why They Develop

Dental cysts develop for several reasons which are mentioned below:

They can occur due to the improper growth and position of a tooth inside your mouth.
A failed root canal treatment or a botched procedure can also be another reason.
A genetic syndrome like Gorlin’s syndrome (a condition that affects different parts of a body and increase the risk of developing several cancerous and noncancerous tumours) can also develop these cysts. But, if you have them due to this syndrome, then you are more likely to face other symptoms.
They can also form around the crowns and the roots of buried If you have wisdom teeth which are impacted or buried, then cysts might form.
If there was any infection in the tooth and it hasn’t been treated properly, then it might be another reason.

Types of Dental Cysts

There are different types of dental cysts and they are:

Periapical Cysts

These cysts develop at the root tip caused by trauma or a crack in the tooth which has killed or infected the pulp of the tooth.

Dentigerous Cysts

These cysts grow around partially-erupted teeth like wisdom teeth.

Keratocysts

This type of dental cysts occurs from trauma or genetics. They are aggressive and may reoccur even after surgical removal.

Periodontal Cysts

They are caused by gum diseases which is why they are bacterial in nature.

Odontogenic Cysts

They are a grouping of dental cysts like periapical and dentigerous (other types of cysts as mentioned earlier) often found in the jawbone.

Mucocele Cysts

They develop in the inner cheek, lip, tongue and another soft tissue area of your mouth. They occur due to trauma or irritation in the tissues of the affected area. They may also release saliva at times.

Preventive Measures

It is very important to maintain good oral hygiene to prevent getting these cysts. Also, you should visit your dentist once a month for a thorough dental check-up. The latter is crucial because he/she is a professional who will be able to detect any problem like a cyst and treat it at the earliest. Moreover, if surgery is required, it can also be done without wasting any time.

Treatment Options

A professional will conduct a radiographic examination to determine the type of cyst you have and learn about its location. If you have a cyst that has existed for a long time and your immune system is affected, then extraction of that infected tooth or root canal therapy are the good options. In a nutshell, if you take good care of your teeth and maintain proper oral hygiene, then you can prevent dental cysts from developing. But there are times these cysts appear in spite of good oral hygiene practices. If you get them, then it is best to consult your dentist as soon as possible. If you’re looking for experienced dentists in Brampton, for treatment of dental cysts, get in touch with our professionals at our clinic. We offer several dental treatments including root canal, dentures, dental implants, gum cleaning, gum bonding and tooth extraction. Click here to schedule an appointment!