Jaw cysts at children and adolescence: a single-center retrospective study of 152 cases in southern Bulgaria.

One hundred fifty two cysts of the upper and lower jaw were examined at patients up to 18 years old treated in the Clinics of Maxillo-Facial Surgery, University Hospital, Plovdiv, Bulgaria for the period 1998 - 2007. Patients were distributed in four age groups (up to 4 years old, from 5 to 9 years old, from 10 to 14 years old, from 15 to 18 years old). Both sexes were constantly affected (52% male, 48% female). The biggest number cystic lesions were found in the third age group (48.7%). The mandible was preferable localization of the lesions (69.7%). Dentigerous cysts predominated (61.8%) - more affected was third age group (31.6%). Radicular cysts were observed two times less (31.6%) - more affected were third (15.8%) and fourth (12.5%) age groups. The most frequently observed clinical symptom was presence of painless swelling (59.9%). The operative interventions were carried out predominantly under general anesthesia (81.6%) by intraoral approach (97.4%). The extraoral surgical approach was preferred in four cases only - three in third and one in fourth age groups.