Dental outcomes following treatment of pediatric odontogenic cysts: an 18-year retrospective analysis.

BACKGROUND: This 18-year retrospective analysis of pediatric odontogenic cysts reviewed characteristics, treatment approaches, and associated risks, including root canal treatment (RCT) and tooth extraction. METHODS: The clinical records of patients treated for odontogenic cysts between 2005 and 2023 included demographics, symptoms, radiographic findings, cyst size and location, histopathological diagnoses, treatment methods, and follow-up results were analyzed. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS, with significance set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: Among the 97 patient records analyzed, there were 43 females (44%), and 54 males (56%) with a mean age of 13.32 ± 3.55. The histopathological diagnosis were dentigerous cysts (n = 58, 60%), followed by radicular cysts (n = 28, 29%) and odontogenic keratocysts (n = 9, 9%), mainly in the posterior mandible. Root canal treatment (RCT) was performed in 18% of the patients, and 72% underwent extraction of at least one permanent tooth. The need for RCT and extraction was higher in larger cysts significantly (p = 0.013). The recurrence rate was low, occurring in 3.1% of with two cases of dentigerous cysts and one odontogenic keratocyst recurring, with an average follow-up of 46 months. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that mandibular posterior cysts in the pediatric population often needed tooth extraction, underscoring the importance of early diagnosis by radiographic screening to prevent complications. There is a need for multi-center collaboration and national registries for development of protocols and uniform treatment guidelines in pediatric population.