The effect of dental protrusion on the width of attached gingiva

Hwang, Hyeon Shik; Kim, Jong Chul; Kim, Jeong Moo

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of incisor protrusion on the mucogingival parameters including the width of attached gingiva. Thirty-seven young adults with lower anterior crowding were selected for this study. From the study model, the degrees of relative and absolute protrusions were measured for each lower incisor. Clinical crown height, the width of keratinized gingiva, probing depth and the width of attached gingiva were measured with digital vernier calipers and Florida Probe System. Through comparing the difference of the above measurements between protruded and non-protruded incisors, and correlation analysis between each measurement, following results were obtained: 1. The protruded incisor showed narrow width of keratinized and attached gingiva comparing to non-protruded incisor. 2. The protruded incisor showed greater clinical crown height comparing to non-protruded side while there was no difference in the probing depth between protruded and non-protruded side. 3. The difference in the width of attached gingiva between protruded and non-protruded incisors showed higher significance in the lateral incisor than in the central incisor. 4. The degree of relative protrusion showed higher correlation with the width of attached gingiva than the degree of absolute protrusion. 5. Clinical crown height showed higher correlation with the width of attached gingiva than the degree of protrusion.