Common
Reactive Lesions
of the Gingiva
AUTHORS
Yingci Liu DMD*,
Resident, Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology,
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Richard J. Vargo, DMD,
Chief Resident, Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology,
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Elizabeth A. Bilodeau DMD, MD, MSEd
Associate Professor, Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology,
School of Dental Medicine, University of Pittsburgh
*To whom correspondence should be addressed.
Email: [email protected]
Address: G-132, 3501 Terrace Street,
Pittsburgh, PA 15261
INTRODUCTION
Most masses of the gingiva are reactive in nature
instead of true neoplasms. 1 The combination of
local irritants (e.g., plaque and calculus), certain
medications and hormonal fluctuations can
induce hyperplastic changes to the tissue. The
clinical presentation is typically a solitary, pink to
red, exophytic growth on the attached gingiva or
interdental papilla. Although the lesions are
benign, they can pose cosmetic concerns, and
tissue hyperplasia increases the risk of tissue
trauma for the patient. Furthermore, in the majority
of cases, these lesions do not spontaneously
regress without intervention. In this article, we
will summarize the most common reactive lesions
of the gingiva.
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MAY/JU NE 2018 | P EN N S YLVA N IA D EN TA L J O UR N A L