Treatment of Gingival Growth Due to Amlodipine Use With a 445-nm Diode Laser: A Case Report

Gingival overgrowth approached using recent mechanical and laser technologies: A case report

Gingival enlargement is a side effect of different drug classes, with calcium channel blockers being among the most often cited examples. Most often accompanied by a disruption in the oral biofilm, this form of gingival overgrowth, with histological signs of hyperplasia and hypertrophy, becomes a chronic inflammatory condition with the oral biofilm a primary cause. This periodontal disease is now classified as 'dental biofilm-induced gingivitis', and its preferred name is drug-influenced gingival expansion. The present study presented the case of a patient with gingival enlargement while being treated with nifedipine for cardiac disease. This patient had factors that contributed to the retention of bacteria, ranging from poor oral hygiene practices to poorly adapted prosthodontics. After reducing these factors, a multimodal treatment was conducted, including bacterial mechanical decontamination through guided biofilm therapy protocol, laser bacterial decontamination, and surgical laser gingivectomy. The patient was referred to their cardiologist for substituting the calcium channel blocker medication. Clinical evaluations followed each treatment step. At 12 months, the patient presented positive, stable results, with an improvement in gingival status (no gingival overgrowth in the area where all risk factors were eliminated and minimal overgrowth in the area where old poorly marginally adapted prosthodontics were kept in place and no/minimal signs of gingival inflammation).

Amlodipine-Induced Gingival Hypertrophy: A Case Report

Gingival hypertrophy caused by certain drugs, including amlodipine, may occur in genetically susceptible individuals. There is no clear explanation for the exact mechanism behind gingival hypertrophy, but a multifactorial theory has been proposed that unifies the phenomenon. In addition to causing difficulty with speech and mastication, gingival hypertrophy also contributes to poor oral hygiene and unaesthetic appearance. We describe the case of a 54-year-old woman who developed gingival hypertrophy due to the long-standing antihypertensive medication amlodipine 5 mg taken twice daily for four years.