Clinicopathological evaluation of focal reactive lesions of the Gingiva

Focal reactive gingival lesions are elicited by chronic irritation primarily due to dental plaque, calculus, overhanging dental restorations and ill-fitting dental prosthesis. Persistent irritation of the gingiva can lead to tissue injury and trigger inflammation leading to proliferation of endothelial cells, multi-nucleated giant cells, fibroblasts and tissue mineralisation. The aim and objectives of the study were to determine the relative frequency and distribution of focal reactive gingival lesions according to sex, age, and anatomical site in patients who presented at the Witwatersrand Oral Health Centre. Retrospective cross-sectional study Methods Convenience sampling of patient records from the years 2011 to 2017 were analysed from the Department of Oral Pathology and the Department of Oral Medicine and Periodontology at the Witwatersrand Oral Health Centre. Sociodemographic variables and clinical features were evaluated. Female patients accounted for 70.8% (n = 172) of all focal reactive gingival lesions, with the majority of the lesions having occurred in the maxilla (56.4%; n = 137). The age of patients ranged from 3 months to 88 years. Contrary to findings in other studies, the peripheral ossifying fibroma was the most common focal reactive gingival lesion, after analysing 243 cases