Appearance can be deceptive: Dentigerous cyst crossing the midline

Abstract

Dentigerous cyst is a developmental odontogenic cyst, which develops by accumulation of fluid between reduced enamel epithelium and the tooth crown of an unerupted tooth. Dentigerous cysts are usually solitary, slow growing, asymptomatic lesions that are incidentally found during routine radiographs They most frequently involve the mandibular third molar followed in order of frequency by the maxillary canine, mandibular second pre-molar and maxillary third molar. Occasionally, these cysts become painful when infected causing swelling and erythema. The cyst is usually small, however, when large, results in the expansion and thinning of the cortex leading to pathological fracture. Radiographic features are specific to the lesion characterized by a well-defined radiolucency circumscribed by a sclerotic border, associated with the crown of an impacted or unerupted tooth. Dentigerous cysts are treated most commonly by enucleation, Marsupialization and decompression of cyst by fenestration. The criteria for selecting the treatment modality is based on the age, size, location, stage of root development, position of the involved tooth and relation of the lesion to the adjacent tooth and vital structure. The prognosis is an excellent when the cyst is enucleated and recurrence is rare. In this article, we present a case of a Dentigerous cyst in an 80-year-old man in the anterior aspect of the mandible enveloping an impacted canine and crossing the midline but with no clinical expansion or discomfort.