Ultrasonographic biometry of soft tissues in patients with gingival recessions. Preliminary report

Introduction
Ultrasound waves have been used in the imaging of oral soft tissues since the beginning of the 1960s. Since then, the possibilities of using ultrasound devices in dental diagnostics have significantly increased. The biometric ultrasonograph Pirop® is an example of a device used for non-invasive measurements of soft tissues.

Objectives
The aim of the study is to compare the thickness of soft tissues around teeth with gingival recession and the same teeth on the contralateral side without gingival recession, assessed with the use of an ultrasound Pirop® device.

Material and methods
The material consisted of 15 women in the age range 22-27 years, in whom were diagnosed 18 unilateral gingival recessions at the incisors, canines, and premolars. Before the examination, the patients answer the questions included in questionnaire about the following: history of dental treatment, coexisting systemic diseases, medicaments, and the presence of addictions. At each tooth with gingival recession three measurement points were deterred to determine the thickness of the marginal and attached gingiva and the mucogingival junction. All measurements were made individually by two researchers.

Results
Most of the gingival recession was found in the second quadrant (44%), and the most commonly affected teeth were 23 and 24 (about 40%). In the area of the incisors, canines, and premolars, the most common gingival recessions occurred in premolars (50%). The results of the measurements carried out on the recessive teeth were: for the gingival margin – 0.36-2.29 mm, for the attached gingiva – 0.35-2.97 mm, and for the mucogingival junction – 0.36-2.68 mm. For both researchers and for every measurement point, soft tissues were thinner at teeth with gingival recessions by more than 50%.

Conclusions
The Pirop® ultrasonograph is proper, non-invasive device used to measure the thickness of soft tissues. In our study, the thickness of the mucosa around the teeth affected by the gingival recession was lower in comparison to the sound tissues on the contralateral side in the majority of the examined patients.