A Long-term Follow-Up Case of Enucleation of Dentigerous Cyst in the Maxilla: Case Report

Lee, Eun Young; Kim, Kyoung Won

Abstract

A long-term follow-up study of a case of impacted teeth associated with a large dentigerous cyst in the left maxilla is presented. The patient was a 30-year-old man who had a large dentigerous cyst in the premaxilla and left posterior maxilla, which impacted the canine and supernumerary tooth. This is one of the most prevalent types of odontogenic cysts associated with an erupted or developing tooth, particularly the mandibular third molars. The other teeth commonly affected in order of frequency are the maxillary canines, maxillary third molars and rarely, the central incisor. Radiographically, the cyst appears as huge ovoid well-demarcated unilocular radiolucency with a sclerotic border and causes ectopic displacement of the inferior border of the maxillary sinus without destruction. Dentigerous cysts may grow unnoticed to such extensive sizes as to occupy a considerable portion of the maxillary sinus. These cysts appear to be associated with a supernumerary tooth in the maxillary anterior incisors region called the mesiodens and impacted canine. The present case report describes the surgical enucleation of a dentigerous cyst involving the permanent maxillary left canine and mesioden. After surgery, left maxillary sinus recovered their normal size and apposition of bone was observed around the apex of the posterior teeth. During the subsequent years, there was no recurrence of the cystic lesion but the inflammation was evoked in the anterior maxilla after 42 months. This complication appeared to have correlated with bony healing in the enucleation site of the cyst. We report the healing status of a huge dentigerous cyst in the maxilla for 5 years with a review of the relevant literature.