Thickness of facial gingiva

Area of Science:

• Periodontology
• Dental Anatomy

Background:

• Gingival thickness is a crucial factor in periodontal health and surgical outcomes.
• Understanding variations in gingival thickness is essential for effective treatment planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To measure gingival thickness in healthy subjects.
• To investigate the relationship between gingival thickness and specific anatomical landmarks.

Main Methods:

• Gingival thickness was measured in 10 healthy subjects on the facial aspects of maxillary and mandibular teeth.
• A precise differential transformer-based instrument, accurate to 0.01 mm, was used for measurements.
• Measurements were taken at the gingival sulcus depth and midway to the mucogingival line.

Main Results:

• Average free gingival thickness was 1.56 mm, attached gingival thickness was 1.25 mm, and total mean thickness was 1.41 mm.
• Gingival thickness generally increased from anterior to posterior in the mandible and maxillary free gingiva.
• Sulcus depth thickness correlated positively with free gingival width, while midway thickness correlated inversely with attached gingival width.

Conclusions:

• Gingival thickness exhibits regional variations within the maxillary and mandibular arches.
• The relationship between gingival thickness and width provides insights into gingival morphometrics.
• Findings contribute to understanding the anatomical basis of gingival tissues for clinical applications.