Hereditary gingival fibromatosis

Hereditary gingival fibromatosis, also known as idiopathic gingival hyperplasia, is a rare condition in which the gums overgrow. The enlargement is benign, slowly progressive, fibrous and does not bleed, and it affects the keratinized gum tissue, most often around the upper and lower jaws on both arches. In varying degrees it can cover the teeth and may cause cosmetic disfigurement. It is reported at a frequency of about one in 175,000, with males and females equally affected, and the cause is not entirely known. It usually appears as an isolated abnormality but can also be part of a syndrome involving several body systems.