A 56-year-old woman was referred for the treatment of a mandibular lesion that had been slowly increasing in size over the past 6 months. Intraoral examination revealed a reddish-purple nodule on the attached buccal gingiva surrounding a machined-surface dental implant, which had been placed 2 years earlier in the region of the left mandibular second premolar. Another implant had been placed in the region of the left mandibular second molar.
The lesion was tender and bled easily during brushing. Radiographic examination revealed improper angulation of the prosthetic abutments. The healing abutments of both implants were loose and in contact with each other, preventing optimal oral hygiene.
An excisional biopsy of the lesion led to the diagnosis of a peripheral giant cell granuloma. After curettage and gentle scaling of the implants, they were cleaned using an abrasive paste. At the final follow-up, 3 years later, no recurrence was observed.
Keywords
Complications, dental implants, peripheral giant cell granuloma, plaque control, recurrence
