The spontaneous disappearance of a large unilocular mandibular cyst

On reviewing some of the extensive literature concerning odontogenic cyst formation, it is apparent that the pathological process or processes involved are far from clearly understood. Even the histological appearance of clinically and radiologically similar lesions has proved to be very variable. It may be that in cyst histiogenesis a combination of the factors discussed are acting either in concert or alone at different stages of cyst development. If spontaneous marsupialization was not responsible for the disappearance of the cyst reported here, then could an autoimmune response have been implicated? Toller raised the issue of whether cyst epithelium proliferating in an alien environment might in some cases provoke an immune response. Oehlers described the spontaneous disappearance of a number of small apical cysts without surgical interference in a carefully conducted study over a number of years.