Gingival cysts in infants
- Gingival cysts are found on the alveolar ridges.
- Formed from dental lamina fragments during tooth formation.
- Harmless and do not cause discomfort.
- Degenerate or rupture within 2 weeks to 5 months after birth.
- Prevalence estimated to be higher than 50%.
Epsteins pearls
- Palatal cysts found along the median palatal raphe.
- Small white or yellow cystic vesicles (1 to 3mm in size).
- Occur in 60-85% of newborns.
- Filled with keratin and caused by entrapped epithelium during palate development.
- Discovered by Alois Epstein in 1880.
Bohns nodules
- Mucous gland cysts found at the junction of the hard and soft palate.
- Derived from minor salivary glands.
- 1-3mm in size and filled with keratin.
- Described by Heinrich Bohn in 1886.
- Sometimes confused with lateral periodontal cysts.
Gingival cysts in adults
- Rare, with an incidence of less than 0.5%.
- Formed from the rests of dental lamina.
- Found on the buccal and labial portions of the jaw.
- Can occur as single small flesh-colored swellings or in clusters.
- Surgical excision is a common treatment for larger cysts.
References
- Browne, Roger M. (1991). The Classification of Odontogenic Cysts.
- Moda, Aman; Das, Usha Mohan (2011). Gingival Cyst of Newborn.
- Singh, RK; Kumar, R; Pandey, RK; Singh, K (2012). Dental lamina cysts in a newborn infant.
- Fromm, A. (1967). Epsteins pearls, Bohns nodules and inclusion-cysts of the oral cavity.
- Monteagudo, Benigno; Labandeira, Javier; Cabanillas, Miguel; Acevedo, Antonio; León-Muiños, Elvira; Toribio, Jaime (2012). Prevalence of Milia and Palatal and Gingival Cysts in Spanish Newborns.
Gingival cyst, also known as Epstein's pearl, is a type of cysts of the jaws that originates from the dental lamina and is found in the mouth parts. It is a superficial cyst in the alveolar mucosa. It can be seen inside the mouth as small and whitish bulge. Depending on the ages in which they develop, the cysts are classified into gingival cyst of newborn (or infant) and gingival cyst of adult. Structurally, the cyst is lined by thin epithelium and shows a lumen usually filled with desquamated keratin, occasionally containing inflammatory cells. The nodes are formed as a result of cystic degeneration of epithelial rests of the dental lamina (called the rests of Serres).
| Gingival cyst | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Dental lamina cyst |
 | |
| Epstein's pearl shown in the roof of the mouth on a five-week-old infant | |
| Specialty | Dentistry |
Gingival cyst was first described by a Czech physician Alois Epstein in 1880. In 1886, a German physician Heinrich Bohn described another type of cyst. Alfred Fromm introduced the classification of gingival cysts in 1967. According to him, gingival cysts of newborns can be further classified based on their specific origin of the tissues as Epstein’s pearls, Bohn’s nodules and dental lamina cysts.
