title: New method of assessing the relationship between buccal bone thickness and gingival thickness.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between buccal bone thickness and gingival thickness by means of a noninvasive and relatively accurate digital registration method.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 20 periodontally healthy subjects, cone-beam computed tomographic images and intraoral scanned files were obtained. Measurements of buccal bone thickness and gingival thickness at the central incisors, lateral incisors, and canines were performed at points 0-5 mm from the alveolar crest on the superimposed images. The Friedman test was used to compare buccal bone and gingival thickness for each depth between the 3 tooth types. Spearman's correlation coefﬁcient was calculated to assess the correlation between buccal bone thickness and gingival thickness.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the central incisors, 77% of all sites had a buccal thickness of 0.5-1.0 mm, and 23% had a thickness of 1.0-1.5 mm. Of the lateral incisors, 71% of sites demonstrated a buccal bone thickness <1.0 mm, as did 63% of the canine sites. For gingival thickness, the proportion of sites <1.0 mm was 88%, 82%, and 91% for the central incisors, lateral incisors, and canines, respectively. Significant differences were observed in gingival thickness at the alveolar crest level (G0) between the central incisors and canines (P=0.032) and between the central incisors and lateral incisors (P=0.013). At 1 mm inferior to the alveolar crest, a difference was found between the central incisors and canines (P=0.025). The lateral incisors and canines showed a significant difference for buccal bone thickness 5 mm under the alveolar crest (P=0.025).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The gingiva and buccal bone of the anterior maxillary teeth were found to be relatively thin (<1 mm) overall. A tendency was found for gingival thickness to increase and bone thickness to decrease toward the root apex. Differences were found between teeth at some positions, although the correlation between buccal bone thickness and soft tissue thickness was generally not significant.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Seoul National University Gwanak Dental Hospital, Seoul, Korea .
authors.forename: Yun-Jeong
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-7467-4954
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, Seoul National University Gwanak Dental Hospital, Seoul, Korea .
authors.forename: Ji-Man
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-0018-1166
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University School of Dentistry, Seoul, Korea .
authors.forename: Sungtae
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-6361-4104
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University School of Dentistry, Seoul, Korea .
authors.forename: Ki-Tae
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9809-2630
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Koo
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University School of Dentistry, Seoul, Korea .
authors.forename: Yang-Jo
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2076-5452
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Seol
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University School of Dentistry, Seoul, Korea .
authors.forename: Yong-Moo
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-5619-3847
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University School of Dentistry, Seoul, Korea .
authors.forename: In-Chul
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-4110-6381
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Rhyu
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University School of Dentistry, Seoul, Korea .
authors.forename: Young
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-5682-0604
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ku
keywords: Computer-Assisted radiographic image interpretation; Cone-beam computed tomography; Gingiva; Maxilla