Gingival Cyst in An Infant Causing Delayed Eruption of the Primary Central Incisor: A Case Report

Abstract

A gingival cyst of the newborn, also known as dental lamina cyst is believed to form when fragments of dental lamina which remain within the alveolar ridge mucosa following tooth formation proliferate to form small to rarely large keratinized cysts. When these cysts occur on the mandibular ridge they can be misdiagnosed as natal teeth. Majority of these cysts are transient in nature and are spontaneously shed within a few weeks or months after birth, thereby requiring no treatment, while in a minority of cases they remain for several months and require surgical intervention. We present a case of a gingival cyst in a 10 month old female which was observed after birth and did not rupture spontaneously; it therefore required excision under local anaesthesia on the dental chair. Following the excision ,the site was observed to heal satisfactorily and a few weeks after, the central incisor was observed to have erupted.

Keywords: Gingival Cyst, Alveolar Ridge, primary teeth, Congenital