The Effect of Phenytoin on the Matrix Metalloprotease-3 Production in HGFs

57 INTRODUCTION Drug-induced gingival overgrowth is a disfiguring side effect of anticovulsants, calcineurin inhibitors, and calcium channel blocking agents. Phenytoin is an antiepileptic drug that acts on sodium channels in mammal cells. Clinically detectable gingival overgrowth occurs as the principal side-effect of phenytoin therapy in approximately half of the treated patients. Although the number of patients being treated with this drug is increasing, not all patients on phenytoin medication develop gingival overgrowth. Chronic periodontitis exacerbates the diagnosis of gingival overgrowth associated with phenytoin. Gingival overgrowth presents major problems for the maintenance of oral hygiene. Increased swelling and disfiguration of gingiva also elevate the risk of infections and inflammatory complications in patients. Additional ramifications of gingival overgrowth occur difficult orthodontic treatment. Orthodontic treatment could contribute to the pathogenesis of this side effect. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α is an inflammatory cytokine that induces celThe Effect of Phenytoin on the Matrix Metalloprotease-3 Production in HGFs