Wara-aswapati N, Pitiphat W, Chandrapho N, Rattanayatikul C, Karimbux N
Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dentistry, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
J Periodontol. 2001 Oct;72(10):1407-12. doi: 10.1902/jop.2001.72.10.1407.
The palatal masticatory mucosa is widely used as a donor material in periodontal plastic surgery. However, there are relatively few studies investigating the volume or thickness of the palatal mucosa. The purpose of this study was to determine the thickness of palatal masticatory mucosa in Asian subjects aged 14 to 59 years by a direct clinical technique. The associations of age and gender with the thickness of palatal mucosa were also examined.
Sixty-two systemically and periodontally healthy Asians (31 males; 31 females; age range 14 to 59 years) participated in this study. The younger age group (age 14 to 21 years) consisted of 32 subjects with a mean age of 16.8 years, whereas the older age group (age 30 to 59 years) consisted of 30 subjects with a mean age of 38.7 years. A bone-sounding method using a periodontal probe with minimal anesthesia and a prepared clear acrylic stent were utilized to assess the thickness of palatal mucosa at 15 measurement sites defined according to the gingival margin and mid-palatal line. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to examine the associations of age and gender with the mean mucosal thickness at the subject level. The Wilcoxon test was used to determine the difference in mucosal thickness between the 2 age groups, and between gender at each measurement point.
The mean thickness of palatal masticatory mucosa ranged from 2.0 to 3.7 mm. The younger age group had significantly thinner mucosa (mean 2.8 +/- 0.3 mm) than the older age group (mean 3.1 +/- 0.3 mm). Females had thinner mucosa than males in the same age group, but the difference was not statistically significant. Overall, the thickness of palatal mucosa increased from the canine to second molar areas and in the sites furthest from the gingival margin towards the mid-palate (with the exception of the first molar area, where significantly decreased thickness was observed).
Within the limits of the present study, the canine and premolar areas appear to be the most appropriate donor site for grafting procedures in both young and adult individuals. The subepithelial connective tissue graft procedure can be considered as a treatment modality in young patients, since a sufficient volume of donor tissue can be obtained from the hard palate area. Other factors that may influence the thickness of palatal mucosa such as racial and genetic factors and body weight need to be further investigated.
腭咀嚼黏膜在牙周整形手术中被广泛用作供体材料。然而，研究腭黏膜体积或厚度的研究相对较少。本研究的目的是通过直接临床技术确定14至59岁亚洲受试者腭咀嚼黏膜的厚度。还研究了年龄和性别与腭黏膜厚度的关系。
62名全身和牙周健康的亚洲人（31名男性；31名女性；年龄范围14至59岁）参与了本研究。较年轻年龄组（14至21岁）由32名受试者组成，平均年龄为16.8岁，而较年长年龄组（30至59岁）由30名受试者组成，平均年龄为38.7岁。使用带最小麻醉的牙周探针和制备好的透明丙烯酸支架的骨探测方法，在根据牙龈边缘和腭中线定义的15个测量部位评估腭黏膜的厚度。进行多元线性回归分析以研究年龄和性别与受试者水平的平均黏膜厚度的关系。采用Wilcoxon检验确定两个年龄组之间以及每个测量点性别之间黏膜厚度的差异。
腭咀嚼黏膜的平均厚度在2.0至3.7毫米之间。较年轻年龄组的黏膜（平均2.8±0.3毫米）明显比年长年龄组（平均3.1±0.3毫米）薄。在同一年龄组中，女性的黏膜比男性薄，但差异无统计学意义。总体而言，腭黏膜厚度从尖牙区到第二磨牙区以及从离牙龈边缘最远的部位向腭中部增加（第一磨牙区除外，该区域观察到厚度明显降低）。
在本研究的范围内，尖牙区和前磨牙区似乎是年轻和成年个体移植手术最合适的供体部位。对于年轻患者，可以考虑采用上皮下结缔组织移植手术，因为可以从硬腭区域获得足够量的供体组织。其他可能影响腭黏膜厚度的因素，如种族和遗传因素以及体重，需要进一步研究。
