Connection between discolored gingiva of abutment teeth and presence of cast post

Abstract

Background/Aim. The cause of discolored gingiva (DG) is the presence of metal in the gingival tissue. DG is a relatively common case, and is caused by deposition of amalgam material in the gingival tissue during dental application or oral surgery. The aim of this study was to determine the significance of cast post presence for appearance of DG of abutment teeth (AT) in relation to the type of fixed dental prosthesis (FDP) alloy. Methods. The study included 327 subjects with FDP. A total of 1585 AT were examined. Subjects were classified into four groups depending on the type of alloy of which their FDPs were fabricated of (silver-palladium, gold, nickel-chromium alloy or a combination of them). The presence of a cast post was confirmed by X-ray or by inspection of the dental chart. The data were collected within one year. Results. DG was observed in more than one third (37.7%) of the subjects of which 57.3% had a cast post . In the case of AT, discoloration occured in 14.6% of them. Cast post was present in 92.7% of AT with DG. Conclusion. DG occured in all groups of subjects regardless of the type of alloy from which the FDP was fabricated. The presence of a cast post is of great significance for the appearance of gray-bluish discoloration of the gingiva.