title: Longitudinal observation of "unattached," mobile gingival areas.
abstract: Facial gingival surfaces over cuspids and bicuspids in 20 patients were monitored for 5 years to evaluate the importance of attached gingiva in the maintenance of a stable periodontium. 43 surfaces "at risk" were compared to 36 "non-risk" surfaces within these patients. Surfaces "at risk" had to meet the following 3 criteria as established by both of 2 independent examiners: width of keratinized gingiva less than or equal to 1.0 mm; absence of attached gingiva; mobility of the gingival margin. During the 5 years of observation, "non-risk" surfaces showed a trend toward decrease in mean width of keratinized gingiva, while this measurement remained unchanged for the surfaces "at risk" Probing depths remained unaltered for both groups. A trend toward gingival recession and loss of probing attachment was observed for both "risk" and "non-risk" surfaces. Thus, this study failed to demonstrate that "unattached" and mobile facial gingival surfaces are more susceptible to periodontal breakdown than "attached" surfaces.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kisch
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Badersten
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Egelberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001641:Bicuspid / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000473:pathology; D003481:Cuspid / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005881:Gingiva / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005889:Gingival Recession / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D012306:Risk; D013997:Time Factors