Gingiva

Question 1

What kind of mucosa is gingiva

Answer 1

Masticatory mucosa

Question 2

What is interdental papilla

Answer 2

Projections between teeth that are determined by contact relationship

Question 3

What is free marginal gingiva

Answer 3

Gingival margin to gingival sulcus

Question 4

What is sulcular epithelium

Answer 4

Lines gingival sulcus. Crest of gingival margin to coronal side of junctional epithelium. Thin, non-keratinised, stratified squamous

Shallow or no rete pegs. White blood cells from lamina propria blood vessels enter sulcus base or bacteria can enter lamina propria due to semi permeable membrane of epithelium

Question 5

What is junctional epithelium

Answer 5

Extends from CEJ to bottom of sulcus. Non-keratinised stratified squamous

Thicker at sulcus base. Increases from 3-4 cell layers to 10-20 cell layers thick

No granular and keratinised layer, no rete pegs

Rich blood supply, source of gingival crevicular fluid to help flush out bacteria and by products from sulcus

Question 6

Mucosa in palate

Answer 6

Hard palate: masticatory mucosa with keratinised epithelium

Soft palate: non keratinised lining mucosa, many elastic fibres and thin collagen bundles. Submucosa contains mucous glands

Question 7

What are 2 distinct features of the gingiva lamina propria

Answer 7

Fibroblasts

• no alkaline phosphatase
• less contractile proteins
• release more prostaglandin in response to histamine

ECM

• less ground substance
• less type 1 collagen
• hyaluronic acid rich
• lower turnover rate

Question 8

What happens to gingiva as it ages

Answer 8

Smoother and dryer surface

Atrophic, can tear easily

Epithelial ridges (rete pegs) flatten, hence gingiva can tear easily

Fewer filiform papillae, tongue looks smooth

Fewer langerhans cells

Atrophy with fibrous replacement of minor salivary glands

More sebaceous glands of cheeks and lips