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The earliest known reported occurrence of dentigerous cyst in a six-month-old child
M Patel1, K Schultz2, E Rosenfeld1
1Department of Dental Medicine, Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Northwell Health Long Island Jewish Medical Center, Queens, NY, USA.
Insights
This case report details the earliest documented dentigerous cyst in a 6-month-old infant, highlighting its unusual presentation. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial for managing this dental anomaly and preventing complications.
Area of Science:
- Dentistry
- Oral Pathology
- Pediatric Dentistry
Background:
- Dentigerous cysts typically affect individuals between 20-30 years old.
- These cysts are rarely observed in children under 10 and have not been previously documented in infants under 1 year.
- The standard presentation involves an unerupted permanent tooth.
Observation:
- This study describes the earliest known case of a dentigerous cyst.
- The cyst was found in a 6-month-old infant, surrounding an unerupted permanent tooth bud.
- The infant presented with an unerupted permanent tooth bud.
Findings:
- The case involved a 6-month-old infant, significantly younger than typical patient demographics.
- The treatment involved extracting the adjacent deciduous tooth and enucleating the cyst with the permanent molar tooth bud.
- This represents the youngest documented instance of a dentigerous cyst.
Implications:
- Clinicians must consider dentigerous cysts in a broader age range, including infants.
- Prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment are essential to minimize morbidity and prevent complications.
- This case expands the known age spectrum for dentigerous cyst occurrence.
Abstract:
The earliest reported case of the occurrence of a dentigerous cyst is described; the cyst surrounded an unerupted permanent tooth bud in a 6-month-old infant. Most commonly these lesions present between the second and third decades of life. They rarely occur before 10 years of age and have not been documented prior to 1 year of age. In the case reported here, the treatment instituted was extraction of the adjacent deciduous tooth and enucleation of the cyst along with the permanent molar tooth bud. Clinicians should be aware of the potential for this lesion to occur across a wide range of ages and the importance of prompt diagnosis and treatment to prevent complications and reduce morbidity.
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