Epidemiological Study Evaluating Type of Labial Frenum, Attachment Level and Gingival Biotypes in Chennai Population

Background: Periodontal diseases are multifactorial and while formulating a diagnosis multiple factorsmust be taken into account and considered which may cause the disease or alter the treatment plan andprognosis. Some of the factors affecting surgical prognosis include the gingival biotype and labial frenallevel, type, morphology and attachment. The frenal attachment and level may causes additional pull andforce on gingiva affecting healing, gingival biotype affects the kind of flap to be raised or flapless technique,time taken for healing and also the amount of tissue required while procuring connective tissue and freegingival grafts. The present study was undertaken to get a better understanding of the relation betweenGingival Biotype and Labial Frenal attachment by conducting an Epidemiological survey in a Chennaipopulation. Methodology: A total of one hundred and fifty systemically healthy patients were screenedat random from the outpatients of a dental college and hospital between age groups 22 to 60 years. Eachpatient was screened by a single clinician, where the patients demographic data, type of frenal attachment,the medial maxillary labial frenal classification based on morphology, morphology of labial frenum, level offrenal attachment, Miller`s grade of gingival recession, gingival biotypes, visibility of the periodontal probethrough the gingival sulcus and gingival thickness measured using an endodontic reamer. Conclusion:Among all the patients who had Simple single frenum with no nodule and elongated parallel margins withgingival recession, two thirds of them had a Thin gingival biotype.