The width of the attached gingiva during orthodontic treatment: a clinical study in human patients.

Studies of the influence of orthodontic movement on the width of the attached gingiva gave conflicting results. Therefore, it was decided to evaluate this parameter in human patients during a full orthodontic movement with fixed appliances. Retrusion of six maxillary anterior teeth was performed in thirteen patients scheduled in a prophylactic program that included a 2-week recall during the entire experiment. Before and after treatment the plaque index, the sulcus bleeding index, the width of the keratinized and the attached gingiva, and the marginal gingiva mobility index were measured. The results indicated that retrusion of the maxillary anterior teeth had no influence on any of the measured parameters.