Relationship between clinical periodontal biotype and labial plate thickness: an in vivo study

The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the differences in labial plate thickness in patients identified as having thin versus thick/average periodontal biotypes. The association between biotype and labial plate thickness was evaluated by correlating information obtained from cone beam computed tomographs, diagnostic impressions, and clinical examinations of the maxillary anterior teeth (canine to canine) in 60 patients. Compared to a thick/average biotype, a thin biotype was associated with thinner labial plate thickness (P < .001), narrower keratinized tissue width (P < .001), greater distance from the cementoenamel junction to the initial alveolar crest (P = .02), and probe visibility through the sulcus. There was no relationship between biotype and tooth height-to-width ratio or facial recession. Periodontal biotype is significantly related to labial plate thickness, alveolar crest position, keratinized tissue width, gingival architecture, and probe visibility but unrelated to facial recession.