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The dentogingival epithelial surface area revisited.
P P Hujoel1, B A White, R I García
1Department of Dental Public Health Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of Washington, Seattle 98195, USA. hujoel@u.washington.edu
Journal of Periodontal Research
|March 15, 2001
Summary
The dentogingival surface area (DGES) in periodontitis patients is significantly smaller than previously assumed, ranging from 8 cm2 to 20 cm2. This finding impacts understanding of bacterial biofilm exposure in periodontal disease.
Area of Science:
- Periodontology
- Oral Health
- Biomaterials Science
Background:
- Periodontitis is linked to systemic diseases.
- Previous estimates of bacterial biofilm surface area in periodontal pockets (50-200 cm2) appear overestimated compared to root surface area (75 cm2).
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a relationship between linear periodontal probing measurements and the dentogingival surface area (DGES).
- To accurately quantify the DGES in healthy individuals and those with periodontitis.
Main Methods:
- Derived formulas to estimate DGES from clinical measures using meta-analysis of root surface areas, root lengths, and remaining root surface area data.
- Applied these formulas to data from the US adult population, the Veterans Affairs Dental Longitudinal Study, and periodontist patient populations.
Main Results:
- Individuals without periodontitis have a typical DGES of 5 cm2.
- In individuals with periodontitis, mean DGES ranged from 8 cm2 (1-29 cm2) to 20 cm2 (2-44 cm2) across the studied samples.
Conclusions:
- The actual mean DGES in periodontitis patients ranges from 8 cm2 to 20 cm2.
- These findings indicate a considerably smaller surface area for bacterial biofilm exposure than previously assumed (50-200 cm2).