gingival stippling


stippling

 [stip´ling] a spotted condition or appearance, such as an appearance of the retina as if dotted with light and dark points, or the spotted appearance of the erythrocytes in basophilia.gingival stippling the presence of a minutely lobulated surface on the gingiva, like that of an orange peel; it is a normal adaptive process, varying from one person to another. Its absence or reduction indicates gingival disease.

gingival stippling

An orange-peel appearance of healthy gingiva, believed to be due to the enlargement of the underlying connective tissue papillae in response to massage and toothbrushing; the indent lies between the bulging papillae where the epithelia grow downward as rete ridges.See also: stippling