Assessment of gingival phenotype through periodontal and crown characteristics: a cluster analysis.

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate gingival phenotypes in 100 subjects (n = 100), with regard to maxillary central incisors and surrounding periodontium in an observational diagnostic study.

Materials and methods: Individuals were grouped based on: Probing depth (PD); keratinized mucosa (KM); Ratio Height/Width Crown (CH/CW), papilla area (PA), gingival thickness (GT) and Gingival Volume (GV). ANOVA and chi-square tests were performed with a significance level of 5%. Results: PD (p=0.860) and CH/CW (p=0.086) were not statistically significant. Cluster analysis identified three groups: Cluster I (n = 32) had the lowest values: KM (4.54mm), GT (0.83mm), PA (15.64mm²) and GV (3.80mm³); Cluster II (n = 43) presented KM (8.02mm); GT (1.40mm); GV (11.18mm³) and PA (14.10mm²); Cluster III (n = 19) exhibited an average KM of 5.57mm, GT (1.14mm), PA (20.08mm²) and GV (6.48mm³).

Results: Cluster I was characterized as a thin phenotype; cluster II as thick, and cluster III, as an intermediate. Significant associations were found when transparency on probing was compared among clusters (p less than 0.05) and gingival exposure when smiling (p less than 0.05).

Conclusion: Thin phenotype was found in 34.04% of the sample (cluster I), thick phenotype in 45.75% (cluster II) and intermediate phenotype in 20.21% (Cluster III)..