Definition
A cyst is a cavity in the tissue that is filled with a fluid. This fluid is usually the result of an inflammation, but is not pus. They are surrounded by a connective tissue membrane that gives them stability.
This allows them to grow without the fluid spreading. The term jaw cyst refers specifically to those that are located in the jawbone, in the oral cavity or in the soft tissues such as ligaments and muscles in the jaw area. These displace neighbouring structures such as bones or even tooth roots.
Normally they do not cause any pain, which is why they remain undetected for a long time. There is often palpable swelling in the oral cavity, but this does not cause pain. Even larger cysts only cause pain when they crowd and displace neighboring teeth, for example. However, if bacteria come into play, which leads to inflammation, this also causes pain.
Causes of a jaw cyst
There are also different causes for the different types of cysts. A distinction is made between odontogenic and non-odontogenic cysts. These are cysts caused by the tooth or not by the tooth.
The simplest cause is the inflammation of the nerve in the tooth. If the pulp (the inner life of the tooth) is inflamed, it becomes swollen. Since the nerve canal is limited in one direction by the tooth, the only possibility is to empty the pus through the opening at the tip of the root.
There a roundish cavity then forms around the tip. Another cause is developmental. Especially wisdom teeth often have problems during the maturation in the bone.
Wisdom teeth lie with their roots very close to the nerve canal, so that the root tips can press on the nerve. In response, the body reacts by forming a cyst. More rarely, a small injury to the gums can lead to inflammation of the gums and even small cysts.
However, these are very small and initially only in the soft tissue. In addition, a foreign body can be the cause of a cyst. This foreign body could for example be a titanium implant.
However, this only occurs very rarely. Mostly it is small bone splinters or tooth root remains that have somehow scattered in the jaw area. They are recognized by the body as foreign and trigger an immune response. Learn more about this under:
- Root Cancer
- Inflammation of the wisdom tooth
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