**3.2 Acute inflammatory enlargement**

Acute form of gingival enlargement includes abscesses of the periodontium. They results in a localized painful area of purulent material which needs to be drained. Lindhe et al. [3] classified as (a) periodontitis-related abscess, infection caused by the bacteria present at the subgingival biofilm in a deepened periodontal pocket, (b) non-periodontitis-related abscess, infection caused by the bacteria originating from another local source, such as a foreign body impaction or from alterations in the integrity of the root leading to bacteria colonization. Meng [4] classified as gingival abscesses (in previously healthy sites and caused by impaction of foreign bodies), periodontal abscesses (either acute or chronic, in relation to a periodontal pocket), and pericoronal abscesses (at incompletely erupted teeth). The gingival abscess involves the marginal gingival and interdental tissues. The periodontal abscess is an acute destructive process in the periodontium, resulting in the localized collection of pus, communicating with the oral cavity through gingival sulcus or other periodontal sites and not arising from tooth pulp. The pericoronal abscess is associated with the crown of a partially erupted tooth [4, 5].

Periodontal abscess (**Figure 2**) formation may occur in the following ways [6]:


**Figure 1.** *Chronic inflammatory enlargement.*
