RESUMO
Jaw cysts represent a great matter of interest in oral and maxillofacial surgery. Jaw cyst surgery is a common intervention in oral surgery but, in the case of a multidisciplinary patient, the oral surgeon needs to meet with other specialists. A cyst is an epithelium-lined sac containing fluid and/or semisolid material due to epithelial cell proliferation, degeneration, and liquefaction; the hypertonic solution withdraws liquids from the surrounding tissues, while internal pressure exerts an equal strength on the cyst walls. Dentigerous cysts are the second most common odontogenic cysts after radicular cysts, and commonly few or no symptoms are reported. However, the most common diagnosis for dentigerous cyst is represented by eruption of the affected tooth or accidental diagnosis. Commonly, dentigerous cysts may be related to impacted third molars; in the case of impacted third molars and a dentigerous cyst, the tooth should be removed along with the cyst in the same intervention. Mandibular dentigerous cysts are common in children and adults, while dentigerous cysts are a rare neoformation in elderly patients. Treatment usually involves removal of the entire cyst and the associated unerupted tooth. This intervention may be more difficult if the cyst is large, the third molar is in contact with the mandibular nerve, and/or the patient has a medical history that may represent a relative or absolute contraindication. We present the case of a rare symptomatic manifestation of dentigerous cyst in an elderly patient in treatment with dabigatran therapy; for the treatment of dentigerous cysts in the elderly, we suggest a multidisciplinary approach with the use of the histological examination and a careful follow-up.
