How I approach… Gingival enlargement in the dog
Author(s):
Sauvé C.
Updated:
JAN 12, 2024
Languages:
Read
Gingival enlargement in a dog‘s mouth is a common presentation in the exam room; this paper covers the common pathologies encountered and discusses the preferred approach to treatment.
Christopher Sauvé
DVM, Dip. AVDC, Pulse Veterinary Specialists, Edmonton, Canada
Dr. Sauvé graduated from Canada’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine in 2012 and discovered a passion for dentistry while working in both primary care and emergency medicine clinics in Edmonton. He then completed a three-year veterinary dentistry and oral surgery residency in Kansas City and is now board-certified, practicing at a Canadian Specialist and Emergency Hospital. He sees his job as enabling him to have a positive impact on his patients’ quality of life that comes with optimizing their oral health. He is especially interested in endodontics, diagnostic imaging and maxillofacial reconstruction following traumatic injuries.
Key points
- The clinical appearance of a gingival enlargement (GE) in most patients is not pathognomonic, and a diagnosis should be obtained prior to creating a definitive treatment plan.
- When evaluating a GE, a complete oral health examination should be performed; this includes a visual assessment, orodental charting, diagnostic imaging, and a full description of the lesion.
- In some cases, it may be rational to perform both diagnostics (an incisional biopsy in the form of a gingivectomy and gingivoplasty) and treatment during the same procedure.
- Gingival hyperplasia is a non-neoplastic reactive inflammatory lesion most commonly caused by plaque-induced gingivitis/periodontitis, occlusal trauma, and certain medications.
Introduction – What is gingival enlargement?
The descriptive term “epulis” is regularly used in primary care practice to describe a focal enlargement of the gingiva, but it is also ambiguous. In the Greek language “epulis” means “on the gum” and although this descriptive terminology seems logical, there is a lack of clarity and consistency between practitioners on what exactly an “epulis” describes and implies, which can result in medical errors, inappropriate treatment, and confusion for clients and colleagues. In a contemporary dentistry service, I recommend that we collectively avoid using the word, and instead the term “gingival enlargement” (GE) should be encouraged to describe a focal enlargement of the gingiva in the absence of a histopathological diagnosis and absence of an inferred prognosis. A GE may therefore subsequently be identified as a benign or malignant neoplastic lesion, or a non-neoplastic, reactive tumor-like lesion of the gingiva (1).
This short article aims to demonstrate the diversity of pathology that can present as a gingival enlargement in a dog’s mouth. It will reveal the importance of obtaining a diagnosis of a GE through histopathology, and provide superficial information on treatment and prognosis for various conditions (including, where appropriate, to perform treatment and obtain a diagnosis during the same procedure). It will also offer a guide on how to perform gingivectomy and gingivoplasty in a clinical scenario where focal fibrous hyperplasia, a type of gingival hyperplasia, is suspected.
[...]
About
Copyright Statement
© All text and images in this publication are copyright protected and cannot be reproduced or copied in any way.Subscribe
Access to the content of the Veterinary Focus website is reserved for animal health professionals. If you do not yet have a user account with Royal Canin you can create a free account by selecting the New User form. Subscription to the journal is free and issues in your preferred language can be obtained at the Veterinary Focus website.
Comments (0)
Ask the author
0 comments