Key Points
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Suggests gingival black triangles are preventable in many situations and manageable in others.
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Highlights that gingival black triangles can be caused and also treated using restorative and orthodontic procedures.
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Provides a range of treatment options, most of which are applicable to general practice.
Abstract
Gingival black triangles (GBTs) are generally considered to be aesthetically unacceptable, have a multifactorial aetiology and a range of treatment options. This review covers the surgical and non-surgical management of GBTs. Surgical methods address recontouring, preserving or reconstructing the soft tissue including the interdental papilla as well as the alveolar bone. Non-surgical approaches include restorative techniques (including the use of prostheses and gingival-coloured materials), orthodontic movement, tissue engineering and tissue volumisers. This review covers the aetiology and management of GBTs, highlighting the importance of considering the options currently available when treating a lost dental papilla. A lack of longitudinal studies investigating the long-term outcomes of the options in management of GBTs presence is identified.
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Ziahosseini, P., Hussain, F. & Millar, B. Management of gingival black triangles. Br Dent J 217, 559–563 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.2014.1004
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.2014.1004
