Abstract
Nifedipine which is the calcium antagonist is widely used clinically for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and angina pectoris. However, gingival overgrowth has been reported as side effect of nifedipine treatment. Here we report three cases of gingival overgrowth induced by long-term treatment with nifedipine.
In case 1 and 2, nifedipine treatment was stopped, and gingival overgrowth was cured by providing instruction on tooth brushing and scaling.
In case 3, nifedipine was discontinued, and the patient received tooth brushing instruction and underwent scaling, but there was no remarkable change in gingival overgrowth. The patient underwent teeth extraction and gingivectomy, and effort was made to promptly restore masticatory function by a new prosthodontical procedure.
Following this study, at first the patient should receive tooth brushing instruction and undergo acaling, and nifedipine should be discontinued in nifedipine-induced gingival overgrowth. In no remarkable change case in gingival overgrowth by these preservative therapies and plaque control morphologicaly difficult case for severe gingival overgrowth, the patient should undergo gingivectomy, and tooth extraction in case of difficult preservation.
Furthermore it was condidered that the success of the treatment was accomplished by prompt prosthodontical treatment in oral hygiene and recovery of mastication.
