Journal of Dentistry

A Rare Presentation of Follicular Odontogenic Keratocyst of Maxillary Sinus Mimicking Dentigerous Cyst: A Case Report with 3-Year- Follow-Up

Document Type : Case Report

Authors

Satheesh Chandran 1
Deepak Abraham Pandyan 1
Deenadayalan Narasimman 1
Karthik Kattur Premkumar 1
George Samyo Stephenson 1
Balamurugan Rajendran 2

1 Dept. of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Madha Dental College and Hospital, Chennai, India.

2 Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon and Oral Implantologist, Dept. of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Rya Madras Cosmo Foundation Hospital, Chennai, India.

https://doi.org/10.30476/dentjods.2025.107603.2756
Abstract
Follicular keratocyst is a rare variant of odontogenic keratocyst (OKC), which surrounds the neck of an impacted tooth resembling a dentigerous cyst, usually diagnosed through radiographic and histological investigations. A 22-year-old female patient presented with pain in the right maxilla for the past 3 years. Intraoral examination revealed a missing right maxillary third molar. Computed tomography (CT) showed a well-defined hyperdense area in the right maxillary sinus involving the crown of an impacted right maxillary third molar within the cystic lesion. A provisional diagnosis of dentigerous cyst was made. The cystic lesion was then surgically enucleated with an impacted right maxillary third molar under general anesthesia. Histological investigation of the enucleated lesion was suggestive of a follicular keratocyst. No adverse effects or recurrence were elicited postoperatively at the 3-year follow-up. OKC, in relation to the third molar, clinically may represent any other odontogenic cysts. Histopathological examination remains the gold standard for assessing the final diagnosis and guides the selection of a definitive treatment modality. 

Keywords

Impacted third molar
Maxillary sinus
Follicular keratocyst
Dentigerous cyst
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Journal of Dentistry
Volume 27, Issue 2
Spring 2026
Pages 181-186

  • Receive Date 20 July 2025
  • Revise Date 11 September 2025
  • Accept Date 05 November 2025
  • First Publish Date 15 November 2025
  • Publish Date 01 June 2026

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