Dentigerous cyst is characterized by formation around what anatomical structure?

• A. Surrounding a fully erupted tooth
• B. Around the root apex
• C. Dentigerous cyst
• D. In periapical region after extraction

Answer: (C)

Dentigerous cysts form around the crown of an unerupted tooth. Fluid accumulates between the reduced enamel epithelium and the crown, so the cyst envelops the crown and remains attached at the cemento-enamel junction. This is why the characteristic location is around an unerupted tooth, producing a radiolucent area that surrounds the crown on imaging. It’s different from cysts that occur at the root apex of a nonvital tooth or in a site after extraction, and it wouldn’t form around a fully erupted tooth.