Gingival recession. Reappraisal of an enigmatic condition and a new index for monitoring.

Gingival recession (GR) is an intriguing condition. This brief communication, after proposing a definition for GR, considers the possible relevance of anatomical, physiological, pathological and traumatic factors in its etiology. It is probable that no one factor in isolation leads to the development of GR. Because of the possible influence of several factors, not necessarily acting synchronously, the occurrence of GR at a given site may be difficult to explain fully, and any subsequent changes may be hard to predict. The importance of the CEJ (or other fixed point) in assessment of GR severity is discussed. A new two-figure Index of Recession (IR) (e.g., F2-4asterisk) is also described, in which the 1st digit relates to the proportional evaluation of the horizontal extent of GR at the level of CEJ, and the 2nd digit is the vertical extent of GR from CEJ in millimetres; the asterisk denotes involvement of the MGJ. The prefixed F (or L) denotes whether GR is facial (or lingual) to the involved root.