SURGICAL-TREATMENT OF CYCLOSPORINE-A-INDUCED AND NIFEDIPINE-INDUCED GINGIVAL ENLARGEMENT - GINGIVECTOMY VERSUS PERIODONTAL FLAP

THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY was to compare probing depth resolution achi eved by gingivectomy and periodontal flap techniques in the treatment of cyclosporine A- and nifedipine-induced gingival enlargement. Ten ki dney transplant patients who were receiving cyclosporine A and nifedip ine for at least 6 months participated in the study. Five patients wer e randomly assigned to the gingivectomy group and 5 patients to the pe riodontal flap group. Only anterior segments of the oral cavity (canin e to canine) were surgically treated. Clinical measurements, including probing depths, plaque index, and gingival sulcus index, were taken a t baseline, 6 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year. Results showed that probing depths, while similar for both groups in the first 6 weeks of the stu dy, were significantly shallower for the periodontal flap group when c ompared to the gingivectomy group at 6 months (2.48 +/- 0.34 mm versus 4.87 +/- 0.79 mm, respectively) and 1 year (322 +/- 0.65 mm versus 6. 40 +/- 1.02 mm, respectively). Within its limitations, this study sugg ests that the pocket reduction achieved by the periodontal flap may be sustained for longer periods of time than by the gingivectomy techniq ue in the treatment of cyclosporine A- and nifedipine-induced gingival enlargement.