The aim of this study is to analyze the immunoexpression of Ki67, p53, MCM3 and PCNA markers in epithelial remnants of dental follicles of impacted teeth and to identify a possible correlation between the immunoexpression of these markers in dentigerous cysts and keratocystic odontogenic tumors in order to evaluate their evolutionary behavior.
Materials and methods: A total of 102 cases were included in the study and divided into three subgroups: the first subgroup consisted of 62 cases with dental follicles of impacted teeth, the second included 20 cases of dentigerous cysts and the third subgroup comprised a number of 20 cases with keratocystic odontogenic tumors. Immunomarking with the four antibodies was performed.
Results: A positive marking was obtained in over 60% of the dental follicles for all markers. Statistically significant differences were also obtained in dentigerous cysts and keratocystic odontogenic tumors for Ki67, p53 and MCM3. Assessment of the four antibodies in the two layers of keratocystic odontogenic tumors shows a positive correlation between Ki67 and MCM3 both for the basal and parabasal layer, with slightly increased values in the latter.
Conclusions: In order to determine the proliferative capacity of epithelial remnants in the dental follicles, Ki67 and PCNA, Ki67 and MCM3 are the most useful markers in practice; they have similar behavior and are more likely to help in distinguishing between dentigerous cysts and keratocystic odontogenic tumors.