Conservative Management of Large Dentigerous Cysts in Children

Abstract

Objective: Dentigerous cysts are benign odontogenic cysts which are associated with the crowns of permanent teeth and rarely seen during childhood. In most cases, they are painless and asymptomatic and usually can be detected by routine radiographs. For treatment of dentigerous cysts, the principal surgical methods are enucleation and decompression. The aim of this presentation is to share our experiences in a case series of children with the dentigerous cysts treated by decompression to allow the eruption. Cases: Dentigerous cysts enclosing the crown of an unerupted/impacted tooth of 4 children aged 7-11 years were treated with decompression with a tube drain. The results of clinical examination, radiologic findings and the treatment of the cysts were presented. Conclusion: Decompression therapy, which aims to eliminate the cystic tissue and protect the permanent teeth in the dentigerous cyst, is very effective in the management of dentigerous cysts during mixed dentition in the childhood.