Dentogingival complex dimension Based on biotypes

Method: Patients that needed a restorative crown (n=53) in their teeth were recruited. Before crown preparation, the tooth’s gingiva was classified as having a thin, mixed or thick biotype, according to transparency of the periodontal probe. The DGC dimension was taken by transulcus probing. Mean, median and 95% Confidence Intervals were calculated. Tests for differences between and within sites were carried out using Kruskall-Wallis test. Wilcoxon Two-Sample test determined gender differences. Statistical significance denoted p <0.05 for both statistical tests.

Result: Mean DGC dimension for mesial, medial and distal sites in millimeters were 3.40(95%CI 3.18-3.62), 2.70(95%CI 2.51-2.89), and 3.17(95%CI 2.94-3.41), respectively. Mean DGC dimension for all sites measured was 3.09(95%CI 2.91-3.27). DGC dimension site average mean for thick biotype was 2.53(95%CI 2.25-2.81), for mixed 3.01(95%CI 2.91-3.12), and thin 3.70(95%CI 3.44-3.96); (p<0.001). Mean DGC dimension for the thin biotype was greater than mixed and thick at mesial, medial and distal sites (p≤0.001).

Conclusion: The DGC dimension differs according to the gingival biotype.  For all sites measured, the results in this study are similar to those reported in the literature.