Senior Lecturer, Department of Periodontology, MAHSA University, Kualalumpur-41200, Selangor, Malaysia.
Introduction: Attached gingiva is an important factor affecting periodontal health which enhances the plaque removal around the gingival margin, improves aesthetics and reduces inflammation around a restored teeth. The role of minimum width of attached gingiva and vestibular depth on gingival health and oral hygiene is inconclusive.
Aim: To evaluate the clinical correlation between width of the attached gingiva and gingival recession, inflammation and oral hygiene maintenance. The correlation of depth of the vestibule with gingival recession and width of attached gingiva was also studied.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional clinical study was designed. Data was collected from 165 young Malaysian adults. Width of the attached gingiva and vestibular depth of six anterior teeth was measured using digital caliper after histochemical staining with Lugol’s iodine. Periodontal parameters including OHI(S), bleeding index, modified gingival index, periodontal pocket depth, Clinical Attachment Loss (CAL) and gingival recession were recorded for each individual. Statistical analysis was done using Pearson’s correlation test, Chi-Square test and Paired t-Test.
Results: A 39.4% (65/165) of the subjects examined had inadequate width of attached gingiva. The overall prevalence of gingival recession was 28.5%. An inverse correlation was found between the gingival recession and width of attached gingiva both in maxilla and mandible, respectively. The frequency of root exposure was also significantly correlated with width of attached gingiva (p<0.001). The depth of the vestibule showed a weak negative significant correlation with mandibular gingival recession (p=0.05). Neither width of attached gingiva nor depth of the vestibule showed any significant association with gingival inflammation or oral hygiene maintenance. No notable correlation was observed between width of the attached gingiva and depth of the vestibule (p>0.05).
Conclusion: A weak negative correlation was found between width of attached gingiva mandibular vestibular depth and gingival recession. No significant correlation was shown between width of attached gingiva or vestibular depth and gingival inflammation and oral hygiene maintenance.