How can you tell the difference between attached gingiva and alveolar mucosa?

There are two types of gingiva and several important anatomic regions.

  • Alveolar mucosa – The area of tissue beyond the mucogingival junction.
  • Attached gingiva – This tissue is adjacent to the free gingiva and is keratinized and firmly attached to the bone structure.

Is alveolar mucosa attached?

The alveolar mucosa is not attached tightly to the bone. The alveolar mucosa is shiny and not stippled. It is more reddened by the underlying blood vessels and thinness of the mucosa. Small blood vessels may be visible.

What is the attached gingiva attached to?

The gingiva surrounds the teeth and the marginal parts of the alveolar bone, forming a cuff around each tooth. It can be divided into the free gingiva, which is closely adapted to the tooth surface, and the attached gingiva, which is firmly attached to the underlying periosteum of the alveolar bone (Figs 4.3, 4.4).

How do you know if your attached gingiva?

Place your probe on the outside of the tissue and measure from the gingival margin to the mucogingival junction. Now measure the sulcus or pocket depth (probing depth). Subtract the probing depth from the outside measurement of the gingiva, and you will have the width of attached gingiva.

Why is attached gingiva important?

Historically, the presence of a wide zone of attached gingiva has been considered beneficial, as the gingiva plays an important role in maintaining the periodontium in health. It provides a physical barrier to oral biofilm, dissipates masticatory forces and protects the periodontium from injury.

What is attached gingival?

attached gingiva that portion of the gingiva which is firm and resilient and is bound to the underlying cementum and the alveolar bone, thus being immovable. Called also alveolar gingiva. free gingiva the portion that surrounds the tooth and is not directly attached to the tooth surface.

Where is attached gingiva located?

alveolar bone
The gingiva surrounds the teeth and the marginal parts of the alveolar bone, forming a cuff around each tooth. It can be divided into the free gingiva, which is closely adapted to the tooth surface, and the attached gingiva, which is firmly attached to the underlying periosteum of the alveolar bone (Figs 4.3, 4.4).

What is lining mucosa?

Definition. The non-keratinized stratified squamous epithelium that lines many parts of the oral cavity. Supplement.

How big is the gingiva compared to the alveolar mucosa?

The attached gingiva lies between the marginal gingiva and alveolar mucosa. In contrast with the marginal gingiva, it is not moveable. Usually, this type of gingiva’s width varies between four to five millimeters (0.157 to 0.197 inches). This type is very dense and firm, stippled, and very tightly bound to underlying tissue.

Is the gingiva part of the oral cavity?

The mucogingival line or junction connects the attached gingiva with the alveolar mucosa. The gums do not have submucosa comparing to other oral cavity parts, and they also do not contain any glands. The gingiva mainly consist of thick and dense connective tissue fibers.

Is the gums part of the dental alveoli?

Gums form a part of the periodontium, together with the dental alveoli of the bony alveolar arches (also called the alveolar bone), periodontal ligament, and the cement of the teeth. The periodontium is the dense connective tissue between the roots of the teeth and the dental alveoli.

What kind of lesion is on the gingiva?

•Relatively common reactive lesion of the gingiva •Histologically identical to the central giant cell granuloma Peripheral Giant Cell Granuloma – Clinical Features •F>M, 5thand 6thdecades •Bluish-purple lesion, exclusively on the gingiva or alveolar ridge •Radiographic – May cause “cupping” resorption (saucerization)