Müller Hans-Peter, Barrieshi-Nusair Kefah M, Könönen Eija
Department of Surgical Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Kuwait University, P.O. Box 24923, Safat 13110, Kuwait.
Clin Oral Investig. 2007 Dec;11(4):439-42. doi: 10.1007/s00784-007-0125-0. Epub 2007 May 24.
The aim of the present study was to assess the degree of disagreement of ultrasonic measurements of gingival thickness at different teeth. Gingival thickness was determined in 33 volunteers with plaque-induced gingivitis. Facial/buccal gingiva was measured at the level of the gingival sulcus depth. Measurements were repeated after 2 and 4 weeks. A repeated measures, two-level (occasion, subject), variance components model revealed a within-subject variance of 0.187 mm(2) resulting in a repeatability coefficient of 1.20 mm. When modeling level 1 (occasion) variance as a function of tooth type, respective error terms were used for calculating 95% repeatability coefficients for different teeth. Unreliable measurements were largely confined to upper and lower second and third molars. Error terms were lowest (0.03-0.05) at upper canines and first premolars as well as lower anterior teeth and premolars, where repeatability coefficients of 0.5 to 0.6 mm could be estimated. It was concluded that performance of the device was best at certain tooth types with rather thin gingiva. The present resolution and rather high degree of disagreement may preclude, however, detection of minute increases in thickness in the micrometer range, which seem to occur during gingivitis.
本研究的目的是评估不同牙齿牙龈厚度超声测量的不一致程度。在33名患有菌斑性牙龈炎的志愿者中测定牙龈厚度。在牙龈沟深度水平测量面部/颊侧牙龈。在2周和4周后重复测量。一个重复测量的两级（测量时机、受试者）方差成分模型显示受试者内方差为0.187mm²，重复性系数为1.20mm。当将一级（测量时机）方差建模为牙齿类型的函数时，使用各自的误差项来计算不同牙齿的95%重复性系数。不可靠的测量主要局限于上下颌第二和第三磨牙。在上颌尖牙和第一前磨牙以及下颌前牙和前磨牙处误差项最低（0.03 - 0.05），在这些部位可估计重复性系数为0.5至0.6mm。得出的结论是，该设备在某些牙龈较薄的牙齿类型上性能最佳。然而，目前的分辨率和较高的不一致程度可能会妨碍检测出在牙龈炎期间似乎会出现的微米级厚度的微小增加。
