Gingival cyst

Last revised by Tom Foster on 5 Apr 2022

Gingival cysts or dental lamina cysts are developmental oral mucosal cysts growing from the remnants of the dental lamina in the gingival or alveolar tissue. In newborns, they are transient appearances.

Gingival cysts are very common and transient in newborns and are seen within the first two months after birth but are very rare thereafter 1. In adults, they are rare and account for approximately 0.3% of all odontogenic cysts 2. They are most frequently seen in the 5th and 6th decade of life 2,3.

The diagnosis in newborns is made clinically 1. In adults, the diagnosis is confirmed histologically.

In the newborn gingival cysts usually present as white to yellowish small round oval nodules of 2-3 mm size in the alveolar ridge of the jawbones. They disappear spontaneously after weeks to a few months 1.

In adults, gingival cysts usually present as smooth asymptomatic bluish colored gingival swelling without osseous involvement 2-4.

Gingival cysts are true cysts lined by thin epithelium.

Gingival cysts are extraosseous and more often found in the gingiva of the mandible than the maxilla 2-4.

Histologically gingival cysts are similar to lateral periodontal cysts 2-4:

  • fibrous capsule with minimal inflammatory cells
  • double-layered odontogenic epithelial lining consisting of cuboidal and squamous cells

Since they are extraosseous cysts they do not show up on plain radiographs or orthopantomogram 2.

In the newborn, they involute or rupture into the oral cavity 1. Treatment in adults consists of excision. Usually, they do not recur 2-4.

The main differential diagnosis of a gingival cyst is a lateral periodontal odontogenic cyst. However, the latter is characterized by bony involvement.

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