An unusual presentation of an intraosseous epidermoid cyst of the anterior maxilla: a case report

INTRODUCTION: Intraosseous epidermoid inclusion cysts are rare benign epithelial inclusion cysts in the bone. They are usually found in the cranium and hand phalanges. They are slow growing lesions, and it is difficult to differentiate them from other inflammatory and cystic lesions. Only a few cases of epidermoid inclusion cyst in the jaw have been reported in the literature. This is the fourth case reported as intraosseous epidermoid cyst of the maxilla in the English literature. CASE PRESENTATION: An asymptomatic 59-year-old Caucasian man was referred to our Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery clinic for a unilocular radiolucent area at his anterior maxilla shown on an orthopantomograph. He was scheduled for surgery and underwent cyst extraction surgery. A pathological examination revealed epidermoid cyst. The diagnostic dilemma in this case report in opposition to the presented intraosseous epidermoid cysts in the literature is that there was no trauma history to his upper jaw. Treatment for this cyst is conservative surgical excision and recurrence is uncommon. CONCLUSIONS: This report presents an unusual case of an intraosseous epidermoid cyst that occurred with no trauma history to the upper jaw. Although only three cases of epidermoid inclusion cyst have been reported in the maxilla, epidermoid inclusion cyst should be considered in the differential diagnosis of radiolucent lesions of the jaws.