• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.473-480
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• 2007

The dentigerous cyst originates through alteration of stellate reticulum after amelogenesis has completed, with accumulation of fluid between the layers of the reduced enamel epithelium or between this epithelium and the tooth crown. Its incidence is relatively high on 10s or 20s of age and it is always related to the unerupted crown. Generally, it has no symptom, however, if the cyst is large or accompanied with pus formation, swelling and pain may occur. In radiographic findings, it shows impacted crown surrounded by well defined unilocular radiolucent lesion and occasionally displacement of adjacent teeth or root resorption. The goal of treatment is complete elimination of abnormal tissue preserving the tooth involved in the cyst. Enucleation and marsupialization are commonly used for the treatment. Marsupialization is the procedure which removes the partial portion of the cystic wall and connects with the oral mucosa. As the pressure in the cyst decreases, bone regeneration takes place in the defect area and cystic wall converts into normal mucosa. This procedure, however, is the most conservative procedure which allows the protection of adjacent important structures. If the eruption space is sufficient, then inducing the eruption of the permanent tooth in the cyst is also possible. In following cases, dentigerous cyst was diaganosed after clinical and radiographic examination. Marsupialazation was done to remove the cyst and induce the tooth, which was in the cyst, to erupt into the oral cavity.