Clinical and histomorphometric evaluation of decompression followed by enucleation in the treatment of odontogenic keratocyst

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The classification and treatment of odontogenic keratocyst (OKC) are controversial. The objective of this study was to present the efficiency of decompression followed by enucleation by clinical and histomorphometric evaluation for the treatment of OKC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty four OKCs of 27 patients who underwent decompression followed by enucleation were included in this study. Clinical and histomorphometric analysis were performed. RESULTS: The average decreasing rate was 59% in maximum diameter, 66% in the amount of the volume for the average of period of the decompression was 9.8 months. The mean of increasing rate of the thickness of the epithelial lining was 921.16%. There were no recurrences for a mean follow-up period of 5.8 years. The thin and friable cyst wall of the OKC was changed to thickened, hard type. CONCLUSION: The decompression was found to be effective and reliable as a treatment of the OKC to decrease the recurrence tendency, even for Gorlin-Goltz syndrome.