The Use of Extracted Teeth to Evaluate Clinical Measurements of Periodontal Disease

Abstract

Clinical indicators of periodontal disease, Gingivitis Index, Gingival crevicular fluid and pocket depth measurements were obtained from the gingiva surfaces of 30 teeth. The gingival margins were marked on the surfaces of the teeth prior to extraction. The extracted teeth were stained with hematoxylin and air dried, and the distances from the groove to the base of the calculus, plaque, and connective tissue attachment were obtained. The plaque-free zone was also measured. Comparisons were made between clinical and tooth surface measurements. A high correlation was found between clinical pocket depth measurements and tooth surface parameters. The correlations between all tooth surface parameters and GCF were statistically significant. The G.I. was significantly correlated only with the penetration of calculus into the pocket. The clinical pocket depth was statistically the same as the distance from the gingival groove to the coronal connective tissue attachment. The plaque-free zone appeared to represent the junctional epithelium.