Epithelial jaw cysts: 10 years of the WHO classification

Numerous papers on epithelial jaw cysts have appeared in the decade since the publication in 1971 of the WHO histological classification of odontogenic tumours, jaw cysts, and allied lesions. Despite clarification of certain cyst varieties no major revisions are necessary. The following minor modifications are proposed. In the developmental odontogenic group, the terms keratocyst and follicular are preferred to primordial and dentigerous. The alveolar cyst of infants is categorised separately from the gingival cyst of adults. The developmental lateral periodontal cyst is included as a distinctive new type. In the non-odontogenic group the globulomaxillary is deleted as a unique entity, whereas the midpalatal cyst of infants is a new inclusion. To the inflammatory category are added the inflammatory follicular and inflammatory lateral periodontal varieties.