The dimensions of the human dentogingival junction

Abstract

This study examined the naturally occurring dimensions of the dentogingival junction in 10 adult human cadaver jaws. The connective tissue attachment, epithelial attachment, loss of attachment, and sulcus depth were measured histomorphometrically for 171 tooth surfaces. Mean measurements were 1.34 +/- 0.84 mm for sulcus depth; 1.14 +/- 0.49 mm for epithelial attachment; 0.77 +/- 0.32 mm for connective tissue attachment; and 2.92 +/- 1.69 mm for loss of attachment. These dimensions, as measured in this study, support the concept that the connective tissue attachment is a variable width within a more narrow distribution and range than the epithelial attachment, sulcus depth, or loss of attachment. The level of the loss of attachment was not predictive of the connective tissue attachment length.