Solitary Bone Cysts of the Anterior Mandible: Systematic Review and Presentation of Two Cases
TL;DR
Solitary bone cysts of the anterior mandible primarily affect young patients and show an excellent prognosis following surgical exploration with curettage, and synthesizing epidemiological, clinical, radiological and surgical findings.
Abstract
Solitary bone cysts (SBCs) are non‐epithelialized intraosseous cavities that predominantly affect the posterior mandible of children and young adults. Their occurrence in the anterior mandible is uncommon, and available data remain limited. This study aimed to systematically review the available literature on SBCs of the anterior mandible, synthesizing epidemiological, clinical, radiological and surgical findings. In addition, two well‐documented clinical cases are presented to illustrate the diagnostic challenges and therapeutic outcomes associated with this uncommon yet clinically relevant entity, emphasizing the importance of a cautious and structured diagnostic approach. A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase and Web of Science databases in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Studies reporting SBCs exclusively located in the anterior mandible were included. Data extraction focused on patient demographics, clinical presentation, lesion localization, radiographic characteristics, treatment modalities and follow‐up outcomes. Twenty articles published between 1990 and 2026 were included and two documented clinical cases have been added, comprising 56 individual cases. The mean age at diagnosis was 16.8 years (range: 9–41 years), with a slight female predominance. Most lesions were asymptomatic and incidentally discovered. Lesion localization was specified in 24 cases, while laterality was not reported in 32 cases. Radiographically, all lesions were described as unilocular radiolucency, although detailed radiographic features were not available in 16 cases. Surgical exploration with curettage was performed in all cases, except in one study of 14 cases where the treatment is not specified. Follow‐up outcomes were reported in 21 cases, all demonstrating complete clinical and radiographic resolution. No recurrences were observed. SBCs of the anterior mandible primarily affect young patients and show an excellent prognosis following surgical exploration with curettage.