The mucogingival complexfitt relation to alveolar process height and lower anterior face height

In 62 young adults the anatomical relationships between gingival width and vestibular depth on the one hand, and alveolar process height and lower anterior face height on the other hand, were studied. The gingiva was measured clinically with a periodontal probe, vestibular depth was measured indirectly with a mould method, and the bony parts of the lower anterior face were studied on 90° lateral cephalograms. The results showed, that gingival width is primarily related to alveolar process height. Although vestibular depth was closely related to gingival width, vestibular depth showed no relation to alveolar process height, nor did the width of the alveolar mucosa. It was concluded that gingival width is the main determinant of the vertical dimension of the vestibule. Gingival width was also found to be related to lower anterior face height; it was concluded that the same morphogenetic factors which are responsible for the vertical dimension of the lower face may be responsible for gingival width. The finding that gingival width was consistently smaller in females than in males substantiated further this conclusion, since females have smaller vertical facial dimensions than males.