Thickness of labial gingiva and mucosa at maxillary anterior teeth measured by cone-beam CT

SHI Su-meng; SHI Sheng-gen; BAI Zhong-cheng; Yan Shu; WU Bao-jiang

Abstract：AIM:To measure the thickness of labial gingiva and mucosa at maxillary anterior teeth by cone-beam CT and to analyze its association with gender and body mass index (BMI).METHODS:45 male and 55 fe-male youths of Han nationality were included.At the time of cone-beam CT scanning,a mouth opening device was used to retract soft tissues away from the teeth and gingiva.The thickness of labial gingiva and mucosa was measured at six different leves on each maxillary anterior tooth from gingival margin to crest of alveolar ridge and from the alveolar crest ridge to apical 3 mm respectively.The mucosal width was measured from gingival margin to the crest of alveolar ridge.T-test was used to examine the gender differences.Pearson correlation analysis was used to examine the correla-tions between mucosal thickness and BMI.RESULTS:As total,the thickness(mm)of gingiva at central incisor,lat-eral incisor and canine was 1.32 ±0.20,1.10 ±0.24 and 1.21 ±0.19 respectively;the thickness(mm)of mucosa of the teeth was 0.69 ±0.17,0.52 ±0.16 and 0.59 ±0.15;the mucosal widths(mm)of alveolar ridge of the teeth was 3.18 ±0.45,3.00 ±0.44 and 3.07 ±0.40,respectivelyr.Males had thicker mucosa than females(P<0.05),and the thickness was positively associated with BMI (r=0.376,P<0.05).CONCLUSION:The thickness of labial gingiva increases from crown to root direction.Gingiva was thicker than alveolar mucosa.Males have thicker labial alveolar mu-cosa than females.The thickness of alveolar mucosa was positively associated with BMI.