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 (kappa=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.
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 (kappa=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.
Authors: Nicholas J A Webb; Malcolm G Coulthard; Richard S Trompeter; Margaret M Fitzpatrick; Suzanne Stephens; Jan Dudley; Heather Maxwell; Simon Waller; Graham C Smith; Alan R Watson; David A Hughes; Brian G Keevil; Janice S Ellis Journal: Pediatr Nephrol Date: 2007-09-26 Impact factor: 3.714