Effectiveness of periodontal therapies on the treatment of different aetiological factors induced gingival overgrowth in puberty.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the present study was to compare oral improvement achieved by different periodontal therapies (surgical and non-surgical) for different aetiological factors induced gingival overgrowth in 60 subjects (mean age +/- SD = 12.33 +/- 1.05 years; age range = 12-15 years).

METHODS

Subjects received oral hygiene instructions, scaling, surgical treatment (if necessary) and periodontal maintenance therapy. Clinical parameters were taken at baseline, after initial treatment and after periodontal surgery.

RESULTS

The decrease in the clinical index values after all treatments compared to the initial values is found to be statistically significant (P < 0.05). Although there was a statistically significant difference in all aspects of the clinical index values of the study groups after initial treatments, for drug-induced gingival overgrowth subjects full improvement was seen only after periodontal surgery.

CONCLUSION

Attention to plaque control and removal of local irritants is very important for the gingival health of the patients in puberty. In puberty, plaque-induced gingival overgrowth can be treated with plaque removal. However, these approaches alone do not prevent drug-induced gingival overgrowth and surgical therapy often becomes the treatment of choice.