Decompression of Odontogenic Cysts Using an Appliance Fabricated With a Fully Digital Workflow

CBCT scans (Green X, Vatech, Hwaseong, Korea) are carried out prior to cystostomies. The scanning conditions are constant at 200 µm isotropic voxel size with 360° rotation, 94 kV tube voltage, 7.2 mA tube current and 9 s exposure time with a 15 × 8 cm field of view field of view (FOV).

Surgical interventions are carried out in local anaesthesia. If it is deemed that a tooth or teeth included in the odontogenic cyst is of hopeless prognosis, it is removed at the time of cystostomy procedure. During cystostomy a bony window is created to accessthe cyst. The lining of the cyst is opened to accomodate the tube of the decompression appliance. A sample from the lining of the cyst is sent for histologic evaluation to confirm the diagnosis of odontogenic cyst.

The decompression appliances is delivered in the same sitting as the cystostomy. Patients are instructed on how to wear and clean their decompression device and are recalled for clinical examinations.

Postoperative CBCT examination is performed six months into the decompression period using the same scanning conditions as those used for the preoperative CBCT scan.

Following the decompression period enucleation of the remaining cyst is carried out in local anaesthesia.