Cyst on an X-Ray?

[batwing]

I went yesterday for a surgical consultation, I am getting a two piece Le Fort I next year.

The surgeon kept tapping on three of my bottom teeth, and then showed me on the X-Ray a shadowy "bubble" and asked me if anyone has ever looked at that before. It's never been mentioned to me, and he said it could be a problem with the film, but he thinks it may be a cyst and if so it'll need removed before I can do anything else with my mouth. I don't even have my braces on yet.

So I'm supposed to go and get more X-Rays to rule out an imaging problem. My question is if anyone has had one and how the procedure went and what caused it?

When I looked online, a lot of these cysts seem to be related to wisdom teeth (the bubble is in the front), an injury (don't recall any of those), or an infection (nada).

I attached the picture, the bubble is on the X-Ray's bottom left side (my right).

xray 1-19-2012.jpg

[Sita]

I had one of those in my early 20's. I was lucky because it was found in the early stages and completely by accident. I was getting an x-ray because of an infection on the other side of my mouth and the dentist spotted the cyst. It was around the wisdom tooth on the bottom that had yet to erupt and it was beginning to push the tooth into my molar.

I had to see a facial surgeon who extracted the tooth and the cyst. It was done under mild sedation at his surgery and he also removed the wisdom tooth from the top as well since there was no point having it if it didn't have anything to bite down on. The procedure itself took about 15-20 minutes and I was monitored for the next 30 minutes to ensure no reaction from the sedation. Recovery was exactly the same as a regular wisdom tooth extraction.

I have no idea what caused the cyst and was never offered any explanation, though I confess I did not ask. I just wanted it gone. I have not had a facial injury that I recall and the only infection I ever had was the one I was getting x-rayed for in the first place.

The cyst on my x-rays was pretty big and very obvious so I hope that it is just an imaging problem and you can procede with getting your braces. Good luck!

[batwing]

Thanks Sita, if this is a cyst, it's a lot like yours. No pain, found on accident, and no obvious cause. I am a bit concerned about having teeth pulled though, I'm already having other ones pulled and I'd like to have some left when they're done with me!

[batwing]

Bumping this up in case anybody else has input.

I went to my dentist and had some bite wing X-Rays done. The original image is not an error, the thing on my jaw is there. My surgeon is out of the office this week but I should be hearing soon on what happens next.

As far as I know everything is on hold until this thing is taken care of.

[whiteswan]

I have no info to offer but wanted to say I hope it is easy to remove and doesn't delay treatment too long. Please keep us updated as you find out more info. Good luck!

[batwing]

I have no info to offer but wanted to say I hope it is easy to remove and doesn't delay treatment too long. Please keep us updated as you find out more info. Good luck!

Thanks!

I got the call last night from my general dentist that my oral surgeon will be calling me soon. They talked about this thing in my face and decided I need to get a biopsy. They don't know if it's a cyst or something else yet.

[klobird]

Hey Batwing--I really hope that everything turns out ok with the biopsy--I'm sorry that your journey is getting so complicated...

[batwing]

Just a short update:

I had an excisional biopsy performed under anesthesia on March 8. My jaw was cut into and the mass was removed and sent for biopsy, I should have results in about a week. Now the weird part: it's not a cyst. I was able to see it and the surgeon noted that he doesn't recall seeing anything quite like it before. It was not a fluid filled sac as expected, but rather, a multi-cellular mass. The tissue of the mass felt like immature bone tissue to him, but he can't be sure of what it is until the biopsy comes back. The only theory he could come up with that made sense for it to be immature bone tissue was that I was injured in some way, and my body attempted to heal. The odd thing is, though, that the mass was not on my last X-Ray in October 2011, and I haven't been injured since then, so it'll really be interesting to see the results of the biopsy.

I need to give my jaw healing time, but if everything is all clear on the biopsy and no further surgery is needed, I get braced May 24!

[canuck88]

Have you received any results yet?

[Sita]

Oh that is a bummer. I hope you're healing well and still on track for getting your braces. Have you gotten any of your results yet?

[batwing]

Yes, thanks for asking. I just got my results yesterday from my biopsy. I had a central ossifying fibroma, which is a benign (woohoo!) bone tumor. There's no set of risk factors, no real cause behind it. I'm unlikely to have another one, recurrence rate is about 15-30%.

In January when I first started seeing an orthodontist, my treatment plan was that I would be braced in mid-March. Because of this hiccup it is now pushed back to May 24. It's been delayed to give the bone time to close up (there's a hole in my anterior mandible, under my canine). The orthodontist and surgeon don't want to brace me up too soon with the weak spot in my jaw.

I am healing really well, the swelling is completely gone and only a little bit of bruising still remains. My teeth hurt more than my jaw does, which surprised me. I'm still kind of in shock that I had a tumor inside my bone two weeks ago.

I'm doing great though, and very relieved with the result. I also have a great deal of confidence in my surgeon because he spotted this and acted quickly on it. He will also be doing my Le Fort I next year, and this whole situation has cemented in my mind that I chose the right guy for the job.

[Ellebraced]

Hi Batwing

Wow, glad you are okay. Scary feeling to be told you have a tumor. It sounds like you are in good hands with your surgeon. Only 2 months to go til your big day.

Keep Healing! Can't wait to keep following your journey.

Elle