Generalized Gingival Hyperplasia in a Maine Coon Kitten: Gingivectomy and Periodontitis Treatment
Overgrown gingiva was being traumatized on jaw closure, bled, and interfered with the kitten's ability to eat dry food.
The owners of a 9-month-old Maine Coon kitten sought care because of bad breath, gingival inflammation, and bleeding gums. The kitten had begun refusing dry food and had switched to wet food.
The kitten had previously received antibacterial treatment and topical oral treatments at another clinic. Signs temporarily improved, but the problem returned after treatment ended.
During the dental examination, generalized gingivitis, dental calculus, and marked gingival hyperplasia were found. The overgrown tissue was being traumatized on jaw closure, bled, and was causing pain.
- Maine Coon
- 9 months
- Gingival hyperplasia
- Gingivectomy
- Full-mouth dental radiography
- Periodontitis
- Recheck on day 10
- Patient
- Maine Coon kitten, 9 months old.
- Reason for visit
- Bad breath, bleeding gums, and refusal to eat dry food.
- Prior treatment
- Antibacterial therapy and topical treatments, after which improvement was only temporary.
- Key findings
- Gingivitis, dental calculus, and generalized gingival hyperplasia with trauma on jaw closure.
- Diagnostics
- Periodontal probing and full-mouth dental radiography.
- Treatment
- Professional cleaning, gingivectomy, gingival contouring, and extraction of four teeth with clinically significant periodontitis.
- Recheck
- Follow-up examination on day 10.
- Further care
- Individualized home oral hygiene.
The video contains footage from a dental surgical procedure. Some viewers may find this content sensitive.
Reason for the Visit
The owners presented a 9-month-old Maine Coon kitten because of bad breath, marked gingival inflammation, and bleeding gums.
The kitten had also begun refusing dry food and switched to wet food. This change in eating behavior may be related to pain when grasping and chewing hard food.
A preserved appetite or the ability to eat wet food does not rule out dental pain.
Prior Treatment
Before this visit, the owners had been given antibacterial therapy and topical oral treatments for the kitten.
Signs of inflammation temporarily decreased during treatment, but the problem returned.
The prior treatment temporarily reduced signs of inflammation but did not resolve the local dental causes of the problem.
Antibacterial medications may be needed in certain clinical situations, but on their own they do not remove:
- Plaque and calculus
- Pathologically overgrown gingival tissue
- Traumatic contact
- Periodontal pockets
- Loss of bone support
- Teeth with an unfavorable periodontal prognosis
A full dental diagnostic workup was therefore needed to determine the cause.
Findings on the Initial Examination
The examination revealed:
- Generalized gingivitis
- Dental calculus
- Marked gingival hyperplasia around the teeth
- Bleeding
- Trauma to the overgrown tissue on jaw closure
The hyperplastic gingiva partially covered the tooth crowns and formed excess tissue folds.
These tissues were repeatedly traumatized on contact with the opposing teeth, which sustained pain, bleeding, and inflammation.
What Gingival Hyperplasia Is
Gingival hyperplasia is a pathological increase in the volume of gingival tissue.
It can create:
- Excess tissue folds
- Pseudopockets around the teeth
- Additional sites of plaque accumulation
- Difficulty with home hygiene
- Traumatic contact on jaw closure
The appearance of the gingiva alone does not indicate the condition of the tissues underneath.
Periodontal probing and dental radiographs are needed for that.
Why the Overgrown Gingiva Was Causing Pain
In this clinical case, excess gingival tissue became trapped between the teeth on jaw closure.
The repeated mechanical contact:
- Traumatized the mucosa
- Caused bleeding
- Sustained local inflammation
- Created pain
- Could interfere with grasping and chewing dry food
This is why the problem was not merely cosmetic.
Diagnostics During COHAT
A comprehensive dental procedure was performed under the COHAT protocol for full evaluation and treatment.
It included:
- Examination of the oral cavity under controlled general anesthesia
- Assessment of every tooth
- Periodontal probing
- Assessment of tooth mobility
- Professional supragingival and subgingival cleaning
- Full-mouth dental radiography
- Development of an individualized treatment plan
- Performance of the agreed-upon procedures
COHAT is more than professional cleaning. It is a complete protocol for oral diagnostics and treatment under anesthesia.
What the Full Assessment Revealed
Periodontal probing and dental radiographs made it possible to assess the condition of the tissues supporting each tooth.
Four teeth were found to have clinically significant periodontitis with a poor prognosis for retention.
It was the periodontitis itself, not merely redness or gingival overgrowth, that indicated the need for extraction.
Professional Cleaning
Hard dental calculus was first removed using an ultrasonic scaler.
Residual soft plaque was then removed with air polishing.
Professional cleaning was only one stage of treatment.
On its own, it could not resolve:
- Pathological gingival overgrowth
- Traumatic contact
- Established periodontitis
- Teeth with an unfavorable prognosis
Why Four Teeth Had to Be Extracted
The decision to extract was made after evaluating the clinical and radiographic findings.
Four teeth had periodontitis and had lost a significant portion of their supporting tissues.
In such a situation, retaining the teeth was not predictable.
The goal was to eliminate the sources of pain and inflammation, not to extract teeth simply because gingivitis was present.
What Gingivectomy Is
Gingivectomy is the surgical removal of excess, pathologically overgrown gingival tissue, followed by recontouring to create a more physiological shape.
After the excess tissue is removed, gingivoplasty is performed to shape a more physiological gingival contour.
In this case, the procedure was needed to:
- Remove the traumatized excess tissue
- Reduce pseudopocket depth
- Provide access to the tooth surfaces
- Make further home hygiene easier
- Create a more functional gingival contour
- Stop the ongoing tissue trauma on jaw closure
Gingivectomy does not replace treatment of periodontitis and does not guarantee that the pathological overgrowth will never recur.
Completing the Surgery
After removal of dental calculus, treatment of periodontal disease, extraction of teeth with an unfavorable prognosis, and gingivectomy, the surgical sites were treated.
The extraction sites were sutured as indicated.
Postoperative Treatment
After the procedure, the kitten was prescribed:
- An individualized pain management plan
- Topical oral care
- Care of the surgical sites
- An appropriate postoperative feeding regimen
- A recheck on day 10
Recheck on Day 10
At the recheck examination, the gingiva appeared pink, and no marked inflammation or bleeding was observed.
The surgical sites were healing well, and there was no obvious pain on examination.
This confirmed a good early postoperative outcome.
Further Home Care
After the early postoperative period was completed, the owners were given recommendations for home oral hygiene.
Regular care is needed to control plaque and maintain gingival health.
The home hygiene plan is tailored individually, taking into account:
- The animal's age
- Gingival condition
- Prior dental conditions
- The surgical procedures performed
- The kitten's behavior during care
Home hygiene does not replace recheck examinations, but it helps slow the rate of plaque accumulation.
Key Takeaway
In this case, bad breath, bleeding gums, and refusal to eat dry food were related to more than superficial inflammation.
A full dental diagnostic workup revealed:
- Generalized gingival hyperplasia
- Ongoing trauma to the overgrown tissue
- Dental calculus
- Periodontitis of four teeth
- A need for comprehensive, not merely medical, treatment
Treatment included professional cleaning, full-mouth dental radiography, extraction of teeth with a poor prognosis, and gingivectomy.
This case illustrates why antibacterial therapy and topical treatments should not replace identifying and addressing the underlying local dental cause.
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Пов’язані статті
Does your cat have inflamed or bleeding gums?
During a consultation, visible changes can be assessed, symptoms discussed, and a further diagnostic plan determined. The condition of the tissues beneath the gums and around the roots is assessed during a full dental procedure.
Every clinical case is individual. The causes of gingival overgrowth and inflammation can vary, so the treatment plan is developed after examination, periodontal assessment, and dental radiography.