Abstract
Self-inflicted gingival injuries have been reported to occur in children and adolescents secondary to number of causes, including accidental trauma, premeditated infliction, or chronic habits such as fingernail biting or digit sucking. Among these causes fingernail biting or onychophagia is the most common cause of acute gingival injury. Gingival recession is a mucogingival defect caused by a variety of etiological factors that result in periodontal destruction most prevalent among those being periodontal inflammatory changes. The purpose of this article is to review clinical findings and management in a patient who presented with gingival recession in the mandibular permanent central incisor. In this article we present a case of an adolescent, aged 10-year who has localized gingival recession. The diagnosis of self-inflicted injury was confirmed by careful medical dental history and clinical picture of the lesion. The treatment of this case was based upon psychological guidance to get patient compliance and parental rapport and support through regular dental follow-ups. Parental approach and the role of underlying psychological morbidity leading to repetitive self-inflicted injurious behavior are also discussed.