Articles Gold Open Access (CC BY 4.0) Published: 19-02-2025 2,106 Views 410 Downloads

Does Gingival Biotype Affect the Prevalence of Gingival Recession Among Patients at a Tertiary Hospital in Nigeria?

Grace Alade ( Uniport )
Ayamma Umanah-Edeani ( Department of Conservative and Prosthetic Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Port Harcourt )
DOI: https://doi.org/10.61172/9r81sa82
Issue: Vol. 33 No. 1 (2025): Nigerian Dental Journal

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the type of gingival biotype, present among participants who attended the Periodontology clinic of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), Rivers State and to assess the effect of the types of gingival biotype on the prevalence of gingival recession.

Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted among patients who attended the Periodontology clinic at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH). Ethical approval was obtained from the Health Research and Ethics Committee of the Institution.  Participants’ consents were obtained before the study was commenced. Data was collected using semi-structured, self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire had three sections: section A included information on socio-demographic characteristics, section B included information about oral hygiene practices of the participants, while section C included intraoral examination to determine the type of gingival biotype and presence of gingival recession on the six maxillary anterior teeth at the mid-buccal area of the tooth. The gingival biotype was determined using the probe transparency method, based on the visibility of the underlying Williams probe through the gingiva tissue.

Statistical analysis was done using the Statistical Product and Service Solution, SPSS version 25.0 (IBM SPSS Inc. Chicago, Illinois). statistical significance was considered at p ≤ 0.05. 

Results:

Ninety-eight participants participated in the study, fifty-five (56.1%) were females while 43(43.9%) were males. Sixty-seven (68.4%) of participants cleaned their teeth once daily.

The prevalence of gingival recession was 23.47%. Majority (82.7%) of the participants had thick gingival biotype, while 17.3% had thin gingival biotype. Majority of the younger participants had thick gingival biotype, while the elderly participants had thin gingival biotype, (p<0.026). Based on gender, 47(85.5%) and 34(79.1%) of females and males respectively had thick gingival biotype (p=0.407). About 18.5% of participants with thick gingival biotype presented with gingival recession while 47.1% of participants with thin gingival biotype had gingival recession.

Conclusion:

Majority of the participants presented with thick gingival biotype. The prevalence of gingival recession in this study was statistically associated with the age of the participants, type of gingival biotype, type of toothbrush and tooth brushing method used. Gingival recession was more common in participants with thin gingival biotype.

Keywords (MeSH)

Gingival biotype Gingival recession Patients Prevalence

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