Case report of a pigmented dentigerous cyst and a review of the literature on pigmented odontogenic cysts.

Abstract

Abstract:This paper reports the first case of a dentigerous cyst containing melanin-pigment and melanocytes in the lining epithelium, and the first case of a odontogenic cyst with macroscopically visible pigmentation in the cyst wall. The patient was a 29-yearold Japanese male with a cystic lesion in the left retromolar area of the mandible. Pathologic examination revealed the lesion to be a dentigerous cyst with or without mild surface keratinization, and numerous granules of melanin-pigment were distributed in the basal cells of the epithelial lining. Furthermore, dendritic melanocytes were scattered in the basal layer. Review of the literature revealed that pigmented odontogenic cysts are uncommon, and only 11 cases have been documented; eight were odontogenic keratocyst, one was a gingival cyst, one was a botryoid odontogenic cyst, and one was a lateral periodontal cyst. The possible origin of melanocytes in odontogenic lesions is discussed. (J. Oral Sci. 42, 43-46, 2000)

Melan-A/Mart-1- or HMB-45-positive melanocytes are not present in calcifying cystic odontogenic tumors (calcifying odontogenic cysts): a study in 13 Caucasian patients

“…In addition, in one fetal study (19), melanocytes were found more commonly in the dental lamina and enamel epithelium of Blacks (6/6 cases) than in Caucasians (3/11 cases). Both the rarity and racial predilection of pigmentation in CCOT, as suggested by other authors (2,8), is supported by the results of the present study.…”

“…Melanin pigment and melanocytes may be found in odontogenic cysts and tumors (1)(2)(3). Melanin may be easily overlooked in routine histological sections, as it resembles hemosiderin and its presence should be confirmed by Masson-Fontana silver impregnation (4).…”

Pigmented ameloblastic fibrodentinoma: a novel melanin-pigmented intraosseous odontogenic lesion

“…The review of the English language literature yields 30 well-documented cases of pigmented odontogenic tumors (Table 1): 18 were calcifying odontogenic cysts, three were adenomatoid odontogenic tumors, three were ameloblastic fibro-odontomas, two were odontomas, one was an odonto-ameloblastoma, one was an ameloblastic fibroma, one was an odontogenic fibroma, and one was an unclassified tumor (calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumor by author's suspicion). Only 12 cases of pigmented odontogenic cysts have been documented: eight were odontogenic keratocysts [4,5,19,31], and there was one gingival cyst [12], one botryoid odontogenic cyst [3], one lateral periodontal cyst [6], and one dentigerous cyst [41]. Melanocytes and/or melanin pigment in these reported odontogenic lesions were microscopically observed and macroscopically showed no pigmentation, except for two cases [25,41] with macroscopically visible mild pigmentation.…”

“…The author has studied the occurrence and distribution of melanocytes and melanin pigment in intraosseous odontogenic lesions from a Japanese patient and discussed their possible histogenesis and pathological significance [31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,41]. The present paper reports a case of ameloblastic fibrodentinoma with macroscopically visible pigmentation resulting in the clinical appearance of a melanotic lesion.…”

Pigmented keratocystic odontogenic tumor: A case report with review of the literature

“…Pigmented jaw lesions have been documented in other odontogenic tumors in addition to KCOT, such as calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumor, adenomatoid odontogenic tumor and dentigerous cyst (9). The mechanisms by which melanocytes and/or melanin pigment appear in odontogenic tumors remain unclear.…”