Risk factors contributing to gingival recession among patients undergoing different orthodontic treatment modalities

The aim of this study was to investigate the risk factors contributing to gingival recession among patients undergoing orthodontic treatment.

Records of 100 Caucasian patients who completed orthodontic treatment were evaluated before and after treatment. Intercanine and molar widths, arch perimeter, arch depth, and keratinized gingival height were measured for both arches. The association of orthodontic treatment strategy (changing incisal inclination, expansion, and extraction), keratinized gingival height, and various other measurements with gingival recession was evaluated by using generalized linear mixed models with logistic regression analysis.

For each 1 mm increase in pre- and post-treatment keratinized gingival height, there was 0.77 and 0.51 times lower odds of gingival recession. For each 1 mm increase in post-treatment intercanine width, there was 0.80 times lower odds of gingival recession. And for each 1 mm increase in change in the arch depth, there was 1.16 times higher odds of gingival recession. For each 1 mm increase in pre- and post-treatment mandibular symphysis width, there was 0.47 and 0.39 times lower odds of gingival recession.

Regardless of the type of orthodontic treatment, increased keratinized gingival height, mandibular symphysis width, and post-treatment intercanine width lower the risk of gingival recession.