Treatment Methods Conditioned by the Gravity of Drug-Induced Gingival Hyperplasias

Abstract

The first drug discovered to be involved in the development of gingival hyperplasia is phenytoin, which is indicated in the treatment of epileptic patients. The other drugs are calcium channel blockers with vasodilating effect. The most important one is Nifedipine, while Ciclosporin A, which is used as an immunosuppressant in the prevention of transplant rejection, causes gingival hyperplasia as a secondary effect. Gingival hyperplasia can reach an impressive volume, completely covering the dental crown and affecting the masticatory and physiognomic functions. The elucidation of the mechanism, by which drug-induced gingival hyperplasia occurs, favoring factors and the choice of conservative or surgical treatment methods, emphasizing the prophylactic treatment. The study batch was subject to intraoral and extraoral clinical examinations and the data were included in the dental treatment sheet of each patient, 11 patients aged over 60 years, who came to the Clinic ... in the period 2014-2016. The diagnosis was based on the anamnesis, the clinical aspect of the lesions and the histopathological examination. After the surgical excision of the hyperplasia affected area, recurrence was prevented by dispensarizing the patients and controlling the bacterial plaque through rigorous oral hygiene. Treatment depends on the severity of the lesions, as well as on the physionomic and masticatory functions. Conservative etiological therapy is attempted, by removing the bacterial plaque and local irritant factors, by reducing the dose of drugs, or by changing the systemic medication.