Methods: A retrospective study for assessment of prevalence of cysts of the jaws was undertaken at the Maxillofacial Department of Taleghani Hospital in Tehran, Iran .Data were retrieved from histopathological and patient records from 1995 to 2006.
Results: A total of 107 records were analyzed, of these 93 cases (86.9%) were diagnosed with odontogenic cysts, 6 cases (5%) with non-odontogenic cysts, 4 cases (3.7%) with sinus cysts and 4 cases (3.7%) were diagnosed with pseudocysts. The mean age was 28.9 years, with a predominance of occurrence in males. Odontogenic cysts appear to have a distinct predilection for the second and third decades of life and are more common in the mandible. The most frequent odontogenic cysts were dentigerous cysts (31.2%), followed by odontogenic keratocysts (23.6 %) and radicular cysts (22.6%).
Conclusion: Our results are comparable to studies from other countries. Knowledge of relative frequencies and sites of presentation of odontogenic cysts in different ethno-geographic backgrounds is essential for early diagnosis and management of these benign yet potentially destructive lesions.
Keywords: Odontogenic cyst, Prevalence.