Decompression has been applied in the primary treatment of large jaw cystic lesions, as the intracystic pressure is released after opening windows in the surface of lesions. Such process has been extensively applied to ensure safety and effectiveness, as it can promote shrinkage, protect adjacent tissues, and possibly reduce the risk of recurrence in the treat-ment of keratocystic odontogenic tumor and unicystic ameloblastoma. Studies that aimed to assess the effectiveness of decompression on large jaw cystic lesions and to determine the time of secondary curettage surgery have been conducted recently. However, no consensus has been made. The paper presents recent studies on evaluation methods on the effectiveness of decompression on large jaw cystic lesions. The literature on the time of secondary curettage surgery is also reviewed.
