J Periodontal Implant Sci.  2021 Feb;51(1):30-39. 10.5051/jpis.2003880194.

Accuracy of periodontal probe visibility in the assessment of gingival thickness

• Kim YS
• Park JS
• Jang YH
• Son JH
• Kim WK
• Lee YK
• Kim SH

• KMID: 2557426
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5051/jpis.2003880194

Abstract

Purpose
The present study was undertaken to examine whether periodontal probe visibility (PV) accurately reflects gingival thickness (GT) and to identify factors affecting PV using cluster and multivariate analyses.
Methods
The clinical characteristics of the maxillary central incisors (n=90 subjects) were examined. Clinical photographs, sex, PV, probing depth, gingival width, papilla height, GT as measured with an ultrasonic device, and the ratio of crown width to crown length were recorded. Multivariate analysis, using multinomial baseline-category logistic regression, was used to identify factors predictive of PV. Cluster analysis was used to identify gingival biotypes.
Results
In the multivariate analysis, sex was the only significant predictor of PV (odds ratio, 6.48). Two clusters of subjects were created based on morphometric parameters. The mean GT among cluster A subjects was significantly lower than that among cluster B subjects (P=0.015). No significant difference was found between cluster A and B subjects in terms of PV score (P=0.583).
Conclusions
Periodontal PV was not associated with GT as measured directly using an ultrasonic device. Sex was a highly significant predictor of periodontal PV. GT was found to be correlated with morphological characteristics of the periodontium.

Keyword

Cluster analysis; Gingiva; Periodontal index; Periodontium; Phenotype; Ultrasonics