title: Gingival changes and secondary tooth eruption in adolescents and adults: a longitudinal retrospective study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Our aim was to investigate 8 years of vertical changes of the gingival margin and tooth displacement of maxillary molars and incisors in adolescents and adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-five adolescents and 10 adults were included in this study, with dental casts taken 2 and 10 years after orthodontic treatment. The gingival contour of the teeth was traced digitally using calibrated photographs of the 2 dental casts, and gingival changes were measured on crown superimposition. Eruption of the central incisors and first molar were measured on dental casts after scanning and superimposition on the palatal vault.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adults and adolescents presented a mean molar eruption of 0.27 and 0.34 mm and a mean incisor eruption of 0.39 and 0.73 mm, respectively. Adults and adolescents presented a mean molar gingival displacement of respectively 0.34 and 0.77 mm, and the adolescents a mean incisor gingival displacement of 0.44 mm. Correlation between secondary tooth eruption and gingival displacement was obtained only for the incisors in the adolescent group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adolescents and adults presented apical displacement of the gingival contour of the maxillary first molars, as was the case for maxillary incisors in adolescents. Secondary eruption of maxillary first molars and central incisors continues in adolescents and adults.
authors: Department of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland. Georges-Andre.Theytaz@unige.ch
authors: Georges André
authors: GA
authors: Theytaz
authors: Panagiotis
authors: P
authors: Christou
authors: Stavros
authors: S
authors: Kiliaridis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005889:Gingival Recession / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor / Q000254:growth & development; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D003765:Models, Dental; D008963:Molar / Q000254:growth & development; D009971:Orthodontics, Corrective / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014078:Tooth Eruption / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult