Management of Chronic Inflammatory Gingival Enlargement Using Conventional and Electrosurgical Techniques in an...

Chronic inflammatory gingival enlargement associated with orthodontic appliances may interfere with oral hygiene maintenance and orthodontic treatment. When non-surgical therapy is unsuccessful, gingivectomy may be indicated. Conventional scalpel and electrosurgical techniques are both established treatment modalities for gingival tissue excision, each with distinct clinical characteristics. This case report aims to describe the management of chronic inflammatory gingival enlargement in an orthodontic patient treated with conventional scalpel and electrosurgical gingivectomy.

A 14-year-old female undergoing orthodontic treatment presented with localized chronic inflammatory gingival enlargement affecting the maxillary teeth, which interfered with proper orthodontic bracket placement and oral hygiene maintenance. Following initial periodontal therapy, gingivectomy was performed using a conventional scalpel technique in the maxillary left region (teeth 23-24). At a subsequent visit, electrosurgical gingivectomy was performed in the maxillary right region (teeth 14-15) after discussion of alternative treatment options with the patient and her parent. Both procedures resulted in satisfactory healing and restoration of physiological gingival contours. The electrosurgical approach was associated with improved hemostasis and less patient-reported postoperative discomfort.

Both conventional scalpel and electrosurgical gingivectomy resulted in satisfactory clinical outcomes in the management of orthodontic-associated chronic inflammatory gingival enlargement. In this patient, the electrosurgical approach was associated with improved hemostasis and less postoperative discomfort. However, these findings are limited to a single case and should be interpreted with caution.