Treatment modalities of dentigerous cysts: literature review

There are some theories regarding the emergence of dentigerous cysts. Among them, one claims they originate from the separation of the follicle in the crown of an erupted tooth, and another, that fluid accumulates between the crown and the reduced epithelium. Even with the existing research, its etiopathogenesis still remains unknown. Cysts can be treated in several ways, among them: enucleation, marsupialization, decompression, cryotherapy, endoscopy, and their combinations. Objective: To review the literature on dentigerous cyst treatment. Material and methods: This is a narrative literature review of articles written in Portuguese and English, and published from 2011 to 2021, which are available at the SciELO, BVS, and PubMed databases. Conclusion: We found that cyst enucleation is considered the treatment of choice whenever feasible, but since this technique destroys a significant amount of tissue, other more conservative options can be used. However, the adequate technique will vary according to the characteristics of the lesion and the patient.