The connection between discolored gingiva of abutment teeth and the 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 the 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 the presence of a cast post for the appearance of DG of abutment teeth (AT) in relation to the type of alloy used to make the fixed dental prosthesis (FDP). Methods. The study included 327 subjects with FDP. A total of 1,585 AT were examined. The subjects were classified into four groups depending on the type of alloy used to fabricate their FDPs (silver-palladium, gold, nickel-chromium alloy, or a combination of them). The presence of a cast post was con-firmed by X-ray or by inspection of the dental chart. The study was conducted over the course of one year. Results. DG was observed in more than one-third (37.7%) of the sub-jects, of which 57.3% had a cast post. In the case of AT, dis-coloration occurred in 14.6%. Cast post was present in 92.7% of AT with DG. Conclusion. DG occurred 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.