NON -FUNCTIONAL OBTURATOR -ASSISTED MARSUPIALIZATION FOR DENTIGEROUS CYST IN A CHILD : A CONSERVATIVE TREATMENT APPROACH

Dentigerous cysts (DCs) represent the most common developmental odontogenic cysts and are typically associated with the crown of an unerupted or impacted tooth. These cysts are often asymptomatic but may present with jaw swelling, pain, facial asymmetry, tooth displacement, root resorption of adjacent teeth, and, in severe cases, infection. Radiographically, they appear as welldefined unilocular radiolucencies with sclerotic borders surrounding the crown of the involved tooth. Although enucleation with extraction of the associated tooth has been the conventional treatment, management strategies in pediatric patients should prioritize preservation of developing permanent teeth. Marsupialization has emerged as a conservative treatment modality that facilitates decompression of the lesion and allows spontaneous eruption of the involved tooth. This article reports a case of a large dentigerous cyst in a 9 year-old child managed successfully through marsupialization using a precisely fabricated non functional acrylic obturator. Clinical and radiographic follow-up over a 12-month period demonstrated complete resolution of the lesion with uneventful healing and eruption of the associated permanent tooth.