The Impacts of Amalgam Overhang Removal on Periodontal Parameters and Gingival Crevicular Fluid Volume

Research has shown that overhanging dental restorations and subgingival margin placement play an important role in providing an ecologic niche for periodontal pathogens. Periodontal attachment loss and inflammation associated with overhanging restorations were reported extensively in the literature. A total of 15 overhanging amalgam restorations were selected and the plaque index (PI), Gingival Index (GI), Probing pocket depth (PPD) and Gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) was analyzed. The amalgam overhangs were removed and the readings were repeated at the end of one week and 4 weeks to find out the effect on periodontal health. Statistically significant reductions in all parameters were observed showing improved periodontal health after the removal of the overhang. These observations further highlight the importance of removing the overhanging margins of the restorations as an important part of initial periodontal therapy.