Description
The gingivae, or gums, are the regions of oral mucosa that surround the teeth and the corresponding alveolar regions of bone. There are two regions of gingivae, the attached and free gingivae. The bulk of the gingival is attached to the alveolar margins of bone. The free gingivae form a thin rim, of approximately 1 mm, around the neck of the teeth (Standring, 2016).
At the base of the gingivae, the masticatory mucosa of the gingiva is separated from the lining mucosa by the mucogingival junction. This can be easily differentiated due to the different colors of the different mucosae. The mucosa lining the alveolar surfaces is dark red while the gingival mucosa is pale pink. This is proportional to the level of keratinization and its proximity to the vasculature.
Related parts of the anatomy
References
Standring, S. (2016) Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice., 41st edition. Elsevier Limited.
