Volumetric analysis of spontaneous bone healing after jaw cyst enucleation

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the degree of spontaneous bone healing after cyst enucleation as well as its contributing factors. Pre- and post-operative computed tomography (CT) scans of consecutive patients who had undergone jaw cyst enucleation were retrospectively analyzed. The outcome variable was healing ratio, which was calculated using the volume of the cyst before surgery and the volume of the defect in the bone after surgery. Predictor variables including duration of observation, pre-operative cyst size, age, gender, and involved jaw were analyzed to determine their influence. Forty-four subjects (30 Male and 14 Female, average 40.7 ± 15.7 years) were included in this study. Healing ratio was significantly lower during the first year (33.5 ± 32.8%) compared to the second (74.5 ± 24.2%) and subsequent years (74.2 ± 17.8%). In 35 patients who had follow-ups of over 1 year, the healing ratio was not affected by the pre-operative cyst size and upper/lower jaw except gender (p = 0.037, female > male) and age (p = 0.021, younger than 30 years > 30 years and older). The residual defect was significant larger in cysts 3 cc or larger (1.64 ± 1.54 cc) compared to smaller cysts (0.43 ± 0.42 cc, p = 0.006). The residual defect volume of large cysts was similar to those of the pre-operative volume of small cysts (1.47 ± 0.72 cc). In conclusion, spontaneous bone healing ratio of post-enucleation defects was about 73.5% after 12 months. Large cysts (> 3 cc) had larger defect, comparable to the volume of small cysts, but with altered contour. Additional treatment such as a bone graft may be considered especially in large cysts.