Dentigerous Cyst Management — NDEB AFK MCQ
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Correct answer: A — Marsupialization followed by orthodontic eruption
In a 12-year-old with a dentigerous cyst associated with an impacted permanent canine, marsupialization (decompression) is preferred to preserve the developing tooth and allow potential orthodontic eruption. Marsupialization reduces the cyst, promotes bony regeneration, and may allow the tooth to erupt spontaneously or with orthodontic guidance. Enucleation with tooth removal is unnecessarily aggressive in a paediatric patient if the tooth can be salvaged.
Reference: Neville – Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, 4th ed., 2016; Hupp – Contemporary Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 7th ed., 2019