Clinicopathological study of 117 radicular cysts

Introduction: Radicular cysts are the sequelae of pulp diseases. Objectives: This retrospective study evaluated the clinical and histopathological features of 117 radicular cysts. Materials and Methods: One hundred and seventeen radicular cysts sent to a private pathology laboratory by dentists in private dental clinics were collected from September 2005 to October 2009. Clinical data and histopathological features of these lesions were reviewed and analyzed. Results: These 117 radicular cysts were taken from 117 patients (50 men and 67 women, mean age 44.3 years). Radicular cyst (74 cases, 63.2%) occurred more frequently in patients between 30 and 59 years of age. Seventy-nine radicular cysts were found in the maxilla and 38 in the mandible. The most common site was the maxillary anterior region (54 cases) and the most frequently involved tooth was the maxillary lateral incisor (31 cases). Of the 117 radicular cysts, 116 were lined by stratified squamous epithelium and 1 by mucoepidermoid-typed epithelium (stratified squamous epithelium with some mucin-secreting cells). Hyaline bodies of Rushton, odontogenic epithelial rests, cholesterol clefts, foamy histiocytes, hemosiderin-laden macrophages, dystrophic calcifications, foreign bodies, and bacterial clumps were found in 4, 6, 11, 8, 7, 19, 9 and 8 radicular cysts, respectively. Conclusions: We conclude that radicular cysts occur slightly more frequently in female patients and in patients in the fourth to sixth decades of life. The most commonly affected tooth is the maxillary lateral incisor in this series. Approximately 99% of radicular cysts are lined by stratified squamous epithelium.