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Review
. 2023 Jul 18;15(7):e42080.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.42080. eCollection 2023 Jul.

Exploring the Biological Width in Dentistry: A Comprehensive Narrative Review

Sayem A Mulla  1 , Amit Patil  2 , Sheetal Mali  2 , Ashish Jain  2 , Deepak Sharma  2 , Himmat C Jaiswal  2 , Hrishikesh A Saoji  2 , Ashima Jakhar  2 , Shefali Talekar  2 , Shruti Singh  1
Affiliations
Review

Exploring the Biological Width in Dentistry: A Comprehensive Narrative Review

Sayem A Mulla et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Biological width (BW) is the distance established from the junctional epithelium and connective tissue attachment to the root surface of a tooth. It acts as a natural seal protecting the tooth from infections and diseases. The normal dimension of it is 2.04 mm on average. A periodontal probe is used to determine BW in routine clinical practice. Various methods are available for the determination of BW. A diagnosis of BW violation is asserted when the distance is found to be less than 2 mm at single or multiple locations. Gingival health is of utmost importance when considering the long-term health of the tooth as well as any restoration. A plethora of BW violations can lead to a myriad of complications, which are discussed briefly in this article. The article also aims to highlight BW in relation to restorative margins and implants and its clinical assessment as well as shed light on the procedure that can be employed to correct BW violations in dental practice.

Keywords: biological width; forced tooth eruption; periodontal health; periodontium; surgical crown lengthening.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. (a) Histological sulcus of depth 0.69 mm, (b) Epithelial attachment of 0.97 mm, (c) Connective tissue attachment of 1.07 mm, & (d) Biological width (b+c)
Adapted from [9,10]
Figure 2
Figure 2. Categories of biological width
Adapted from [7]
Figure 3
Figure 3. Signs of biological width violation
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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