title: Lateral lower lip piercing--prevalence of associated oral complications: a split-mouth cross-sectional study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate via a split-mouth cross-sectional study the prevalence of gingival recessions associated with lateral lower lip piercing in a population obtained from a nondental setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  A split-mouth study was performed in a sample of 47 patients with one lateral lower lip piercing. Teeth in direct contact with the intraoral closure of the stud were defined as test teeth; contralateral teeth were selected as controls. Clinical examination included full-mouth plaque and bleeding indices, probing depth, recession, clinical attachment level, periodontal biotype, evaluation of hard tissues, occlusal trauma, stud characteristics, and mucosal inspection and palpation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Midbuccal recession was noted in four test teeth compared with one control tooth (8.5% and 2.1%, respectively; P = .250). The canine and first premolars were the most affected. Tooth chipping occurred in one test tooth and no control teeth. Plaque levels were significantly higher in test than control teeth (P < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lateral lower lip piercing is associated with significantly higher plaque accumulation on adjacent teeth. A small percentage of lateral lower lip piercings may cause tooth chipping or buccal recession in adjacent teeth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Restorative and Preventive Dentistry, Dental School, Innsbruck Medical University, Austria. kapferer@i-med.ac.at
authors.forename: Ines
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kapferer
authors.forename: Ulrike S
authors.initials: US
authors.lastname: Beier
mesh_terms: D000497:Alloys / Q000737:chemistry; D001641:Bicuspid / Q000473:pathology; D046288:Body Piercing / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003481:Cuspid / Q000473:pathology; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000293:injuries; D003769:Dental Occlusion, Traumatic / Q000209:etiology; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D003804:Dentin / Q000293:injuries; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005889:Gingival Recession / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia; D008046:Lip / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000293:injuries; D017622:Periodontal Attachment Loss / Q000209:etiology; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000209:etiology; D010969:Plastics / Q000737:chemistry; D012907:Smoking; D014082:Tooth Fractures / Q000209:etiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000497:Alloys; D010969:Plastics