Anatomy

The gingiva (fig. 12) extends from the gingival margin to the mucogingival junction, where it meets the alveolar mucosa. The gingiva is more firmly attached to the underlying bone than the alveolar mucosa. The gingiva varies in color from pale pink to brown, depending on an individual's skin color.

The gingiva consists of two sections: (fig. 13) the attached gingiva, which is firmly connected to the underlying bone, and the free gingiva, which is not connected to the underlying bone or tooth. The free gingiva creates a shallow crevice or sulcus around the tooth that is usually less than 3 mm in depth (fig. 14).

The crevice is lined by non-keratinized epithelium, making this area vulnerable to dissemination of bacterial byproducts into the blood stream. In healthy gingiva, the free margin is thin or knife-edged, has a pebbly surface, is pink in color, and has a scalloped outline (fig. 15). Healthy gingival tissue does not bleed when gently touched during brushing and eating.