Mandible & maxilla
Non-odontogenic cysts
Fissural and other nonodontogenic cysts overview
Last author update: 1 September 2015
Last staff update: 15 October 2021
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PubMed Search: Fissural [title] cysts / nonodontogenic [title] cysts
Table of Contents
Definition / general | Terminology | Epidemiology | Sites | Etiology | Diagrams / tables | Prognostic factors | Treatment | Microscopic (histologic) description | Differential diagnosisCite this page: Martinez A. Fissural and other nonodontogenic cysts overview. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/mandiblemaxillafissuralgeneral.html. Accessed March 22nd, 2023.
Definition / general
- A cyst is a pathologic cavity lined by epithelium and may be located within the oral soft tissues or an intra-osseous location within the jaws
- Cysts may be odontogenic or nonodontogenic in origin
- Odontogenic cysts arise from tissues involved in tooth formation
- Some nonodontogenic cysts were historically termed "fissural" as they were thought to arise from entrapped epithelium during embryogenesis
- Some classifications, such as globulomaxillary cyst, are no longer considered valid and distinct entities, while others are highly controversial, such as median palatine cyst
Terminology
- Dermoid cyst:
- Lined by stratified squamous epithelium with adnexae (hair follicules, sweat glands, sebaceous glands)
- Epidermoid cyst:
- Stratified squamous epithelial lining without adnexae
- Teratoma:
- Can be cystic, but must have all three germinal layer represented within cyst wall, namely ectoderm (skin, hair, teeth), mesoderm (skeletal muscle, vasculature, CNS, peripheral nerves), endoderm (thyroid, GI tract components, lung, liver)
- Globulomaxillary cyst:
- Cyst that occurs between the maxillary lateral incisor and canine teeth
- No longer considered a distinct, classifiable entity
- Median palatine cyst:
- Lined by stratified squamous or respiratory epithelium located in the midline of the hard palate, posterior to the incisive canal
- Existence of this cyst as distinct from a variant of the nasopalatine duct cyst has been questioned
- Nasolabial cyst:
- Soft tissue cyst lined by multilayered or pseudostratified, cuboidal to columnar epithelium, located in the nasolabial region of the facial tissues
- Nasopalatine duct cyst:
- Variably lined by stratified squamous, pseudostratified columnar, columnar, or simple cuboidal epithelium, located in the anterior midline of the hard palate
- Palatine cyst:
- Lined by stratified squamous epithelium located within the midline palate soft tissue
- Surgical ciliated cyst:
- Postoperative "complication" with cystic expansion of respiratory epithelium within posterior maxilla, often with ciliated or mucous cells within cystic lining
- Oral foregut duplication cyst:
- Soft tissue cyst, likely congenital, within the oral cavity lined by a possible spectrum of epithelia
- Lymphoepithelial cyst, intraoral:
- Soft tissue cyst unrelated to branchial arches, with histologic features similar to 2nd branchial arch cyst
Epidemiology
Sites
- Epidermoid cyst: floor of the mouth
- Dermoid cyst/teratoma: most common site is soft tissue of floor of mouth
- Globulomaxillary cyst: historically described between the maxillary lateral incisor and canine teeth
- Median palatine cyst: midline of the hard palate, posterior to the incisive canal
- Nasolabial cyst: nasolabial region of the facial soft tissues
- Nasopalatine duct cyst: anterior midline of the hard palate
- Palatine cyst: midline palate soft tissue
- Surgical Ciliated Cyst: intraosseous, posterior maxilla; may be bilateral
- Oral foregut duplication cyst: floor of mouth and ventral tongue
- Lymphoepithelial cyst, intraoral: superficial mucosa of floor of mouth or posterior lateral oral tongue
Etiology
Diagrams / tables
Images hosted on other servers:
Fissural cysts
Prognostic factors
Treatment
Microscopic (histologic) description
Differential diagnosis
- Cystic odontogenic neoplasms:
- Calcifying odontogenic cyst
- Carcinoma ex-cyst
- Keratocystic odontogenic tumor (often referred to as odontogenic keratocyst)
- Unicystic ameloblastoma
- Sampled (biopsy) cystic component of conventional / multicystic ameloblastoma
- Cystic salivary gland neoplasms (benign or malignant):
- Hidrocystoma:
- Soft tissue cyst of the skin, usually occurring in the periorbital region
- Thin, uniform lining, usually 2 cell layers
- Surgical ciliated cyst:
- Postoperative "complication" with cystic expansion of respiratory epithelium within maxilla, often with ciliated or mucous cells within cystic lining
- Usually located in posterior maxilla, and lacks contents of incisive foramen (peripheral nerve, cartilaginous rests, muscular vascular channels)
- Odontogenic, inflammatory cysts:
- Apical cyst
- Buccal bifurcation cyst
- Lateral cyst
- Residual cyst
- Odontogenic, developmental cysts:
- Botryoid odontogenic cyst
- Dentigerous cyst
- Glandular odontogenic cyst
- Lateral periodontal cyst
- Orthokeratinized odontogenic cyst
- Primordial cyst
