Relationship among gender, race, age, gingival width, and probing depth in primary teeth.
BACKGROUND
Limited information is available regarding the attached keratinized tissue, probing depth, and sociodemographic characteristics of primary teeth. This study was carried out to evaluate the relationship among age, gender, race, gingival width, and probing depth in each primary tooth type.


METHODS
The study population consisted of 300 children, aged 4 to 6 years, with clinically healthy gingiva, who were enrolled in an oral health program. Gingival width and probing depth were measured with a standard Williams periodontal probe in the middle of the keratinized gingiva and at six gingival sites (mesio-buccal, mid-buccal, disto-buccal, mesio-lingual, mid-lingual, and disto-lingual), respectively. Schiller's solution was used to establish the limits of keratinized gingiva.


RESULTS
The gingival width (mean +/- SD) on the buccal surfaces decreased from anterior to posterior positions in both arches; in the lower lingual surfaces, the inverse was observed. The gingival width (mean +/- SD) ranged from 2.95 +/- 0.15 mm to 6.16 +/- 0.20 mm and the probing depth from 1.03 +/- 0.91 mm to 2.08 +/- 0.07 mm. There was a tendency toward increased probing depth as age increased from 4 to 6 years. There was also an increase in the probing depth from anterior to posterior teeth.


CONCLUSIONS
In the majority of observations, it was concluded that there was a relationship among age, gingival width, and probing depth, but generally not among race and gender and these measurements, respectively. Furthermore, there is no relation between gender and gingival width and race and probing depth.
Gomes-Filho
Isaac Suzart
IS
Department of Periodontics, Feira de Santana State University, Bahia, Brazil. i-suzart@uol.com.br
Miranda
Dario Augusto Oliveira
DA
Trindade
Soraya Castro
SC
de Souza Teles Santos
Carlos Antônio
CA
de Freitas
Camila Oliveira Teixeira
CO
da Cruz
Simone Seixas
SS
de Macêdo
Taíze Cássia Nascimento
TC
de Santana Passos
Johelle
J
D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005881:Gingiva / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000473:pathology*; D044469:Racial Groups; D012737:Sex Factors; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous