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. 2012 Sep 1;17(5):e814-20.
doi: 10.4317/medoral.18044.

Morphology and dimensions of the dentogingival unit in the altered passive eruption

Francisco Alpiste-Illueca  1
Affiliations

Morphology and dimensions of the dentogingival unit in the altered passive eruption

Francisco Alpiste-Illueca. Med Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal. .

Abstract

Objectives: This study define altered passive eruption (APE) and evaluate the morphology of the dentogingival unit.

Material and methods: 123 individuals subjected to clinical examination and parallel profile radiography of the upper central incisor. An evaluation was made of the correlation between the clinical diagnosis of APE and the degree of gingival overlap; by using a 19% overlap to define APE (Kappa concordance index=0.7). The Mann-Whitney / Wilcoxon test was used to identify the variables influencing APE.

Results: Statistically significant differences were observed between the teeth with and without APE: gingival width (p=0.0073), clinical crown length (p=0.0000), smiling exposed gums (p=0.0000), bone crest thickness (p=0.0030), connective tissue attachment thickness (p=0.0003) and biological width (p=0.0015).

Conclusions: The APE is characterized by: a gingival overlapping of over 19% of the length of the anatomical crown, increased gingival width and gingival smile; furthermore is associated to a thick bone crest and connective tissue attachment. Statistical analysis confirms two morphological patterns of APE.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Clinical diagnostic criteria of altered passive eruption (APE).
Figure 2
Figure 2
PPRx. 1, 2 and 3 thickness of the bony table, 4 thickness of the connective tissue attachment, 5 biological width, 6 the distance from the cementoenamel junction to the crest, 7 the thickness of the free gingiva. a- discrepancy: amount of mm. that encía covers the anatomical crown, b- crowns clinic, a + b = crowns anatomical of the tooth.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The blue line reflects the proportion of cases not presenting APE for an overlap less than or equal to that indicated on the abscissas axis. The red line indicates the proportion of cases with APE for overlap values greater than or equal to that indicated on the abscissas axis.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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