BACKGROUND: To describe epidemiological features of 565 Chinese patients with odontogenic keratocysts (OKC), to investigate possible prognostic factors related to recurrence, and to analyse features of recurrent OKC (rOKC). MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective chart review of 565 cases of OKC treated between 2003 and 2015 was undertaken. The probability of recurrence related to prognostic factors including large size, cortical perforation combined with involved teeth in the lumen of the cyst, inflammation, sites of the involved lesion, sex, and daughter cyst variables were analysed. The subsequent relapse of each OKC was compared. RESULTS: Patients ranged in age from 7 to 81 years (mean age, 28.4 years) and, of those affected, 66.9% were male and 33.1% were female. Mandibular OKC occurred in 63.01% and 36.99% occurred in the maxilla, 80.53% of patients had non-rOKC, 10.44% rOKC, and 9.03% had multiple OKC lesions. Enucleation with preservation of the involved teeth in the cystic lesion combined with cortical perforation was statistically associated with high recurrence rate, as were daughter cysts, and multilocular lesions. The number of recurrences and the average time (in years) to relapse decreased from the first relapse of OKC to the third relapse, and the difference was significant (P<.05). CONCLUSIONS: Preservation of the involved teeth combined with cortical perforation appeared to be a potential prognostic factor associated with high recurrence. The follow-up evaluation period for rOKC with ≥ 2 previous treatments should be shorter than for first-time rOKC. The decreasing average duration (years postoperatively) to relapse was related to the number of rOKCs, timing of relapse, and rOKC type.