Prevalence of oral surgical treatment modalities in radicular cysts and their radiographic diameter distribution

Introduction: Radicular cysts represent the most common odontogenic cystic lesions, typically arising as a consequence of chronic periapical inflammation. Their management depends on several clinical and radiographic factors, particularly cyst size and anatomical location, which influence the choice of surgical intervention.
Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of different oral surgical treatment modalities in radicular cysts and to analyze the radiographic diameter distribution of these lesions.
Materials and Methods: This study was conducted at a PHO specialized dental clinic for oral surgery and included a sample of 44 patients diagnosed with radicular cysts. Each participant underwent detailed anamnesis, clinical examination, and paraclinical investigations to establish diagnosis and treatment planning. The surgical procedures performed were cystectomy with apicoectomy and enucleation with tooth extraction. Preoperative radiographic measurements of cyst diameter were categorized into three groups: Group 1 (0.5–1.0 cm), Group 2 (1.1–1.5 cm), and Group 3 (1.6–2.0 cm). Statistical analysis was applied to interpret the findings.
Results: The majority of cysts (68%) were within Group 1, followed by 18% in Group 3 and 14% in Group 2. Regarding treatment modalities, cystectomy with apicoectomy was performed in 65% of cases, while enucleation with extraction accounted for 35% of cases.
Conclusions: Smaller radicular cysts were more prevalent in the studied population. Cystectomy with apicoectomy was the most frequently applied surgical approach, indicating a tendency toward tooth-preserving procedures when clinically feasible.