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Lack of association between width of attached gingiva and development of soft tissue recession
Author(s) -
Wennström Jan L.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
journal of clinical periodontology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.456
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1600-051X
pISSN - 0303-6979
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-051x.1987.tb00964.x
Subject(s) - soft tissue , gingival margin , gingival recession , dentistry , coronal plane , medicine , oral hygiene , orthodontics , surgery , anatomy
The purpose of this study was to longitudinally monitor changes in the position of the soft tissue margin at 26 buccal sites surgically deprived of all gingival tissue. A baseline examination carried out 6 months after treatment revealed that the sites to be monitored were lacking or had only a minimal zone (< 1 mm) of regenerated attached gingiva. 12 control sites with an “adequate” width of attached gingiva (> 1 mm) were also examined. Assessments of oral hygiene and gingival conditions, probing pocket depths, probing attachment levels, position of the soft tissue margin, and gingival width were carried out at baseline and after 5 years. The results revealed that in the test sites, a slight increase of the width of the gingiva occurred during the observation period. 7 out of the 26 areas showed a coronal regrowth of the soft tissue margin, while 2 sites showed a further apical displacement of the soft tissue margin. In the control areas, 3 sites developed recession accompanied by a reduction in the width of the gingiva. Hence, it appears that in patients maintaining a proper plaque control, the lack of an “adequate” zone of attached gingiva does not result in an increased incidence of soft tissue recessions.