Clinical description, medical imaging and multimodal therapy of a dentigerous cyst in a captive white‐faced saki ( Pithecia pithecia )

Abstract

A 3.5‐year‐old captive white‐faced saki ( Pithecia pithecia ) was presented with a chin swelling. CT and dental radiographs revealed a cystic lesion associated with an unerupted mandibular canine. A dentigerous cyst was suspected and confirmed by histopathology following marsupialisation. Extraction of the unerupted tooth and cyst enucleation was performed 3 months later, once CT confirmed reduction in the size of the cystic lesion, lowering the risk of iatrogenic mandibular fracture. A postoperative evaluation using CT and radiography demonstrated complete healing 6 months after surgery. This constitutes the first report of a staged procedure to treat a dentigerous cyst in a white‐faced saki. It highlights the importance of routine dental examinations, the use of diagnostic imaging modalities when a tooth is missing and the value of marsupialisation as a first‐line approach for large cysts. It also illustrates the superiority of CT over dental radiography for assessing lesion extent and monitoring bone healing.