The keratinization potential of crevicular epithelium: an experimental study.

Free grafts, consisting of nonkeratinized crevicular epithelium and supporting connective tissue, were placed into recipient beds prepared in nonkeratinized alveolar mucosa of the rhesus monkey. Four weeks later these grafts clinically resembled keratinized gingiva and this was confirmed by biopsy and histological examination. Electron microscopy indicated that the connective tissue supporting the crevicular epithelium changed to resemble that supporting keratinized gingiva in the 4-week graft. These findings were interpreted to indicate that crevicular epithelium has the potential to keratinize and that this potential is only realized when the inflammation is resolved in its supporting connective tissue.