Referral & Clinical

Dentigerous or Eruption Cysts in Jaws

Dentigerous cysts and other problems of non-eruption are relatively common - especially in Boxers and other breeds with similarly shaped skulls - such as Mastiffs. Mostly these cysts are associated with an unerupted lower premolar 1 and involve considerable loss of bone in the rostral mandible

A dentigerous cyst will usually be associated with a "missing" tooth and is an expansive cysts filled with serum. Radiographs will quickly identify the location of the tooth and size of the cyst. There is often no indication from the dog that there is any problem. Occasionaly the owner will see a soft blister like swelling that comes up from time to time and bursts.

Our practice policy is to radiograph all "missing" teeth unless there is a known reason for their absence. MIssing teeth are often not actually missing - just not visible. When missing teeth are actulayy present withn the jaw bones they frequently cause considerable local pathology.

These images show a "missing" premolar 1 and the radiograph that proves the tooth is embedded tooth but also the extent of the cyst & bone loss.

We normally see these cases at 4-5 years of age at which point the cyst size can be exteremely large. A secondary conseqeunce of the loss of bone is that adjacent teeth often lose their attachment and are no longer anchored in bone.

Treatment requires surgical incision into the cyst, removal of the unerupted tooth and any other non-attached teeth. The secretory lining must then be removed before placement of a bone autograft or allograft. The graft is usually very well tolerated and will allow the cyst deficit to fill with new bone to resume normal strength.

The cyst is opened surgically A bone graft is placed

Since most beeds that suffer from dentigerous cysts are brachycephalic head shapes with the lower jaw in front of the upper, this resumption of strength is important to ensure no pathological jaw fractures over time.

The wound immediately post op The healed wound one week later

Radiograph post op showing removal of affected teeth and closure of cyst deficit with osteoallograft