Gingival Biotype in the Maxillary Esthetic Zone: A Pilot Study comparing Three Noninvasive Assessment Methods

This pilot study aims to compare reliability of visual, probe transparency, and soft tissue cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) methods for estimating gingival biotype in maxillary esthetic zone. This study included 10 patients with indications for dental implant therapy in the esthetic zone of maxilla. Visually, the gingival biotype in the maxillary esthetic zone was examined by two examiners. Subsequently, the gingival sulcus was probed and observed for its transparency, and soft tissue thickness was measured using soft tissue CBCT. A 100% correlation was found between probe transparency and visual inspection. When comparing visual inspection and probe transparency to soft tissue CBCT, a statistical discrepancy of 57.1% was found. However, the p-value of 0.125 indicated a nonsignificant difference. As per our knowledge, this is the first study comparing the reliabilities of these three noninvasive biotype assessments. How to cite this article Nettemu SK, Nettem S, Paulose BJ, How VV, Singh VP. Gingival Biotype in the Maxillary Esthetic Zone: A Pilot Study comparing Three Noninvasive Assessment Methods. Int J Prosthodont Restor Dent 2016;6(4):85-88.