title: Thickness of palatal masticatory mucosa and its relationship with different parameters in Turkish subjects.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the study was to clinically investigate the mucosal variations in different parts of hard palate subject to soft tissue harvesting and its relationship with selected parameters in patients with gingival recessions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty periodontally healthy, dentate subjects (13 males) with gingival recessions were enrolled into the study. After initial periodontal therapy they were scheduled for surgical procedures. Palatal masticatory mucosa of five teeth was evaluated at five different points from the gingival margin and two points on the buccal gingival mucosa were evaluated on the day of surgical intervention via bone sounding method. Totally 27 assessments were performed for each patient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall mean thickness of palatal masticatory mucosa (PMM) was 2.55±0.49mm. The mean mid-facial gingival thickness was 1.11±0.39mm. The PMM showed an increase towards the posterior and raphe palatina. No difference was observed between genders, and no association of body mass index (BMI) and age with PMM was determined. An association was observed between the thicknesses of mid-facial gingival and palatal masticatory mucosa.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The thickness of PMM in this study seems to be less than other reports possibly due to ethnicity or measurement design. Canine and premolar region reveals higher thickness values, and the increase in the tissue thickness towards the midline should also been taken into consideration. Clinicians planning soft tissue harvesting from the palate should take this variation into consideration. In this regard transmucosal probing of the donor site may provide valuable information where considerable variation exists.
authors: 1. Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dentistry, Istanbul University, Istanbul, TURKEY.
authors: Duygu
authors: D
authors: Yaman
authors: 1. Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dentistry, Istanbul University, Istanbul, TURKEY.
authors: Seden
authors: S
authors: Aksu
authors: 2. Department of Biostatistics and Medical Information, Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, TURKEY.
authors: Rian
authors: R
authors: Dişçi
authors: 1. Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dentistry, Istanbul University, Istanbul, TURKEY.
authors: Korkud
authors: K
authors: Demirel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000166:cytology*; D010159:Palate / Q000166:cytology*; D021362:Palate, Hard / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000166:cytology; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Turkish subjects; palatal masticatory mucosa