Nasopalatine duct cyst. An aggressive condition in adolescent Negroes from South Africa?

A retrospective study of the clinical and radiographic features of 51 nasopalatine duct cysts has been undertaken. Of these cysts 33 were in males (64.7%) and 18 in females (35.3%). The age range was 9--67 years (mean 32 years) with most cases being detected between the second and fourth decades. All of the subjects aged less than 20 years were South African Negroes and the lesions found in this group were invariably over 3.5 cm in diameter and rapidly growing. The average size for all of the cysts (after taking in 19% radiographic enlargment factor into account) was 3.5 cm in greatest diameter. The most common signs were: palatal swelling (88.2%), tooth displacement (78.4%) and sub-labial swelling (17.6%). Root resorption was found in only two of the 40 cysts which encroached upon lamina dura. No recurrences occurred following marsupialization or enucleation.