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Photographic scoring of gingival overgrowth
Author(s) -
Ellis J. S.,
Seymour R. A.,
Robertson P.,
Butler T. J.,
Thomason J. M.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of clinical periodontology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.456
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1600-051X
pISSN - 0303-6979
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-051x.2001.280112.x
Subject(s) - medicine , dentistry , buccal administration , population , orthodontics , environmental health
Background: A wide range of methods have been employed to determine the severity of gingival overgrowth resulting in uncertainty regarding the prevalence of the side‐effect. There is no simple, non‐invasive, objective, blind method for assessing gingival overgrowth. Aim: This article aims to describe a method which is suitable for use in large‐scale population studies. Materials and Methods: Photographs were taken of the anterior, buccal gingivae and teeth of 925 patients medicated with calcium channel blockers. In addition, each patient was ascribed a clinical gingival overgrowth score. 100 patients had repeat photographs, and a further 10 patients had alginate impressions taken. The models were scored for severity of gingival overgrowth using a described technique. The slides were scored using a modification of this technique. Results: When photographic and study model scores were compared, photographic scores were consistently higher, and as a result, a photographic score of 38.6% was considered to represent a significant overgrowth. There was good agreement between clinically determined scores and photographic scores (κ=0.71). Conclusions: The results indicate that this method is suitable for large‐scale population studies where it also has the advantage of providing a continuous scale of gingival changes for subsequent statistical analysis.