Depth: Under ABSOLUTELY HEALTHY CONDITIONS = Omm.  A probing depth of 1-3 mm is usually considered compatible with gingival health.

Gingival epithelium:

Oral: Faces the oral cavity
Keratinized with rete pegs
Covers marginal, interdental & attached gingiva

 
Sulcular:   Faces the tooth
Forms the lateral wall of gingival sulcus
Extends from the base of the sulcus to the crest of the gingival margin
Thin, no rete pegs

 
Junctional: Attached to the tooth
Forms the base of the gingival sulcus
Non-keratinized, no rete pegs
Very thin, 10-20 cell layers
Length 0.25 - 1.35mm

 
Renewal: Oral, sulcular and junctional epithelial cells undergo continuous renewal

Gingival Connective tissue:   Densely collagenous with few elastic fibers

Classified into groups of fibers:
Dentogingival group: from the cementum to the marginal and attached gingiva
Circular group: encircles the tooth
Transseptal group: runs interdentally from cementum of one tooth to another adjacent tooth.
 
Distance between apical end of junctional epithelium and the crest of the alveolar bone. Average 1.07mm. This distance remains relatively constant even during disease.

End of Lecture

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