ABSTRACT
Gingival enlargement is frequently observed in patients taking certain drugs such as anticonvulsants, immune suppressants, and calcium channel blockers. The effects of these drugs are not only directed at the primary target tissues, but also on secondary target tissues, such as gingival connective tissue, causing clinical, and histopathological aberrations. These aberrations can adversely affect speech, mastication, tooth eruption, and esthetics. Disfiguring gingival overgrowth triggered by these medications often impairs the nutrition and provides access to oral infection, caries, and periodontal disease. The present case report describes the treatment of a patient with a phenytoin induced gingival enlargement.
Subject(s)
Adult , Esthetics, Dental , Humans , Gingival Hyperplasia/chemically induced , Gingival Hyperplasia/epidemiology , Gingival Hyperplasia/surgery , Gingival Overgrowth/chemically induced , Gingival Overgrowth/epidemiology , Gingival Overgrowth/surgery , Male , Phenytoin/adverse effects , Postoperative CareABSTRACT
Smile plays an important role in improving esthetics and radiates health and self-confidence. The perfect smile requires an optimal relationship between the teeth, surrounding oral tissues, and periodontal complex. When a disharmony exists between any of these components, the result is a smile that is likely to be perceived as unaesthetic. Similar is the case with interdental bone loss resulting in increased embrasure spaces, with unaesthetic appearance especially in the anterior maxillary regions. Periodontal papilla reconstruction has proved to be a successful technique and a boon to the patient in such a case to return an esthetic and healthy smile to the patient. We report here a similar case of papilla reconstruction with pre-treatment and post-treatment differences depicted in the esthetics.