Anatomy of the Periodontium Flashcards
4 Main
Components
gingiva
PDL
cementum
alveolar bone
GINGIVA
The oral masticatory mucosa that
surrounds the cervical portion of teeth
and covers the alveolar process of the
maxilla and mandible
GINGIVA
composed of (4)
Marginal gingiva (unattached or free gingiva)
Attached gingiva
Alveolar mucosa
Mucogingival junction (MCJ)
MARGINAL GINGIVA(UNATTACHED OR FREE GINGIVA)
→Free or unattached, cufflike tissue
surrounding the teeth on facial, lingual, and
interproximal surfaces
Gingival Margin (2)
most coronal portion of the gingiva
scalloped outlne of teeth
Gingival Sulcus
spaced formed by tooth and sucular epithelium (laterally) and coronal end of the JE (apically)
sulcular measurements of
1-3 mm considered WNL of gingival health
Free Gingival
Groove. (3)
-divides free gingiva from attached gingiva
-shallow depression
-found in only 50% of patients
Interdental gingiva (papilla) (3)
*part of free gingiva
• Occupies the interdental space (fills
embrasure space apical to tooth contact)
• Attached to the tooth by the JE and
connective tissue fibers
The Gingival Col
• Valley-like depression of
the interproximal contact
areas
The Gingival Col
• Connects
lingual and buccal
interdental papilla
The Gingival Col
• Absent when
teeth are not
in contact
The Gingival Col
• Nonkeratinized epithelium
susceptible to
inflammation
and disease progression
Junctional Epithelium
• Nonkeratinized epithelium
surrounding and attaching to the
tooth on one side, and the gingival
connective tissue on the other side
Junctional Epithelium
Base of the
sulcus/pocket
JE more permeable to
cells and fluid
JE Serves as route of passage of fluid
and cells from the connective tissue
into the sulcus for
bacteria/bacterial
products from sulcus to connective
tissue
JE is Easily penetrated by the
periodontal
probe, especially when gingiva is
inflamed
JE
Length:
0.25-1.35mm (remember
approx. 1mm)
GINIGVAL FIBERS
provides support for
marginal gingiva, including the
interdental papilla
Circumferential or circular fibers–
encircle each
tooth in a cufflike fashion within the free gingiva
Dentogingival fibers–
embedded within the
cementum; fan outward into the attached
gingiva to the tooth
Dentoperiosteal fibers–
embedded in the same
portion of the cementum as the dentogingival
fibers
Alveogingival fibers–
inserted in the crest of the
alveolar process and splay out through lamina
propria into the free gingiva
Transseptal fibers–
embedded in the
cementum; run a horizontal path from adjacent
teeth
sometimes classified as PDL
Attached Gingiva
• Attached to the alveolar bone and
cementum by connective tissue fibers
and epithelial attachment
Attached Gingiva
• Boundaries are apically demarcated by
the
coronally demarcated by the
mucogingival junction (MGJ);
base of the gingival sulcus
Attached Gingiva
• Width varies from
1-9mm; widest in facial
aspect of maxillary central incisors and
narrowest in the mandibular premolar
facial areas
Attached Gingiva
NOT to be measured on the
palate
Attached Gingiva
• Any changes in the width of attached
gingiva results from changes at the
coronal end (i.e., recession)
ALVEOLAR MUCOSA
(2)
• Movable tissue, loosely attached to underlying alveolar bone
• Thin, nonkeratinized epithelium
ALVEOLAR MUCOSA
Separate from
attached gingiva at the MGJ
ALVEOLAR MUCOSA
Darker shade of red than gingiva due to
rich blood supply
Mucogingival Junction (MGJ)
• Visible line where the pink keratinized gingiva meets
the more vascular alveolar mucosa (see arrows)
Mucogingival Junction (MGJ)
• Found on the (2)
maxillary facial and the mandibular
facial and lingual areas
