PHENYTOIN-INDUCED GINGIVAL ENLARGEMENT: MULTIDIS CIPLINARY CLINICAL MANAGEMENT: A CAS E REPORT

Introduction: Gingival overgrowth, recognized since long as a deleterious side-effect of chronic phenytoin therapy, whenever occurs, lasts throughout the period of drug therapy and is difficu lt to manage owing to its insidiously progressive nature, leading to frequent recurrences. Methods: This case report documents a case of severe gingival enlargement associated with periodontitis in a patient under antiepileptic therapy, along with b rief review of literature concerning etiopathogenesis, and provides a rational model for its clinical management. Conclusions: It is important that clinicians become aware of the potential etio logic agents of drug induced gingival enlargement and its characteristic features in order to be able to prevent, diagnose and successfully manage it.