Dental cysts are the body’s response to the presence of a foreign body inside the tooth, they are formed when the body tries to expel a pile of bacteria or dead tissue from the tooth.
Pulpitis is a major cause of dental cysts
Tooth cysts are mainly caused by pulpitis, which is inflammation of the tooth pulp. In other cases it can be the consequence of:
- incorrect devitalization;
- tooth included;
- tooth extraction not performed correctly.
Timeliness in the treatment of cysts is essential because their volume tends to increase very quickly.
Different types of cysts
Dental cysts are mainly divided into three types:
- root cyst;
- follicular cyst;
- periodontal cyst.
Among the most common pathologies is the root cyst that affects the apex of a tooth that has necrotic pulpitis following an infection. The root cyst can degenerate to the point of affecting the bone, so it is important to undergo dental treatment as soon as possible.
The follicular cyst, on the other hand, affects the eruption phase of the tooth. It can form before the tooth erupts completely and surgical excision is required.
The periodontal cyst, on the other hand, affects the periodontal ligament and bone. It usually forms when there is already advanced periodontitis.
Symptoms of dental cysts
In their initial phase, dental cysts can be completely asymptomatic and can only be diagnosed by a dentist because it would be impossible for a patient to carry out a self-diagnosis.
As the volume of the cyst begins to increase, symptoms may become more noticeable, such as:
- acute pain;
- swollen gums;
- teeth that move;
- halitosis.
How to intervene?
Periodic check-ups can prevent dental cysts from degenerating into more serious diseases. Thanks to the diagnostic imaging tools, the dentist will be able to make an accurate diagnosis and proceed with the appropriate treatment depending on the severity.
Normally we intervene on the cause that gave rise to the cyst, the dental cysts can be drained or in the most serious cases surgically removed, only in extreme cases we proceed with the extraction of the tooth.
