Aikaterini-Elisavet Doufexi

Altered Passive Eruption: Clinical Characteristics, Diagnosis and Treatment Approaches.

Aikaterini-El Doufexi,D.D.S., M.Sc.,PhD.
Assistant Professor,
Department of Preventive Dentistry, Periodontology and Implant Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece

Currently, aesthetic dentistry has very rapidly developed as also facial aesthetics have shown significant innovations.Active eruption is the movement of teeth coronally, whereas the passive eruption refers to apical movement of the junctional epithelium. Altered passive eruption is a pathological situation in which the gingival margin is positioned coronally to cementoenamel junction. Usually, patients with altered passive eruption have a thick gingival biotype and sometimes present with a thick bone phenotype too. In altered passive eruption patients show a gummy smile, small rectangular gingival crowns, and pseudo periodontal pockets. This presentation will include differential diagnosis of altered passive eruption to other reasons that may cause gummy smile. In addition, different surgical techniques will be presented that might include gingivectomy or gingivectomy and ostectomy at the same session. Finally, in a few cases, restorations such as composite or porcelain veneers might contribute to an improved aesthetic result. Overall, seems that the current approaches in periodontology aim to less invasive and concomitantly to more aesthetic results.

Dr Aikaterini-Elisavet Doufexi entered the Dental School of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh) in 1991 and ranked 1st in the National Exam. She graduated from Dental School in 1996 with rank 1st. In 1998 she completed the Master’s Program of Preventive Dentistry, Periodontology and Dental Implant Biology,AUTh. In 2001 she joined the combined Program Ph.D in Oral Biology and Certificate in Advanced Clinical Training in Periodontology and Implant Dentistry at the University of Connecticut Health Center, USA from which she graduated in 2008. In 2009 she became Diplomate of the American Academy of Periodontology and she has been recertified since then. Between 2008 and 2022 she served at the Department of Preventive Dentistry, Periodontology and Dental Implant Biology, AUTh as a part-time faculty. She is currently an Associate Professor at the same Department since 2022. Since 2008 she has also been a private practitioner in Thessaloniki practicing exclusively Periodontology and Dental Implant Dentistry.