Importance of the Mucogingival Junction and Attached Gingiva - The mucogingival junction is important in measuring the width of attached gingiva. - Attached gingiva is tightly bound to the underlying alveolar bone and protects the mucosa during functional use of the oral cavity. - Without attached gingiva, the freely moveable alveolar mucosa would be prone to injury during activities like chewing and brushing. - The width of attached tissue is critical as it provides protection to the tissue against insults. - The width of attached gingiva is crucial for maintaining oral health. - Sufficient attached gingiva provides protection against injury during oral functions. - Inadequate attached gingiva increases the risk of trauma and inflammation.

Measurement of Attached Gingiva - A periodontal probe is used to measure the width of attached gingiva. - The probe is inserted into the gingival sulcus to determine how much keratinised gingiva is attached to the underlying bone. - The depth of the gingival sulcus, determined by the probe, is not attached to the bone and is subtracted from the total height of keratinised tissue. - The effective width of attached gingiva is calculated by subtracting the probing depth from the height of the keratinised gingiva. - If the probe enters the sulcus and reaches or goes beyond the mucogingival junction, it indicates a mucogingival defect.

Clinical Significance of Attached Gingiva - The measurement of attached gingiva helps in diagnosing and planning periodontal treatments. - Mucogingival defects require special attention and treatment to prevent further complications.

References - Carranzas Clinical Periodontology, W.B. Saunders 2002, page 17. - Capnocytophaga sp. - Preston D. Miller - Willoughby D. Miller - Carl E. Misch

Related Specialties - Endodontology - Orthodontology - Prosthodontology - Other specialties in dentistry - This dentistry article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.