Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
INTERNATIONAL COMPILATION OF RESEARCH AND STUDIES IN DENTISTRY, DOÇ. DR. VOLKAN ARIKAN,DOÇ. DR. IDRIS KAVUT, Editör, INTERNATIONAL COMPILATION OF RESEARCH AND STUDIES IN DENTISTRY, Ankara, ss.1-8, 2025
Inflammatory gingival hyperplasia (IGH) is a reactive gingival enlargement that may develop in response to local irritants such as dental plaque and calculus, and it can be influenced by hormonal changes. Clinically, it may mimic other reactive or neoplastic lesions, making histopathological evaluation essential for a definitive diagnosis. This case report describes a 30-year-old female who presented one month postpartum with a slowly enlarging, pedunculated, erythematous soft-tissue mass located at the interdental papilla in the left maxillary canine region. The lesion bled easily on palpation and caused mild discomfort. Clinical examination revealed moderate oral hygiene with minimal supragingival calculus; vitality tests were within normal limits, and radiographic evaluation showed no underlying bone pathology. An initial clinical diagnosis of IGH was made, and the lesion was managed with excisional biopsy. The excised specimen measured approximately 0.5 × 0.4 × 0.3 cm. Histopathological assessment demonstrated stratified squamous epithelium with acanthosis and focal thickening, areas of parakeratosis and spongiosis, superficial neutrophilic accumulation, and a subepithelial lymphoplasmacytic inflammatory infiltrate with vascular congestion. Periodic acid–Schiff (PAS) staining revealed fungal hyphae limited to the epithelial surface and superficial layers without connective tissue invasion, consistent with superficial fungal colonization. The final diagnosis was inflammatory gingival hyperplasia with superficial fungal hyphal colonization. This case highlights the importance of considering postpartum hormonal status and local irritants in reactive gingival lesions, and it underscores the role of histopathology in establishing an accurate diagnosis and guiding appropriate management.