Biologic Width
The combined apico-coronal dimension of the junctional epithelium and supracrestal connective tissue attachment above the alveolar crest. Editors must not confuse this with sulcus depth or crown margin measurements.
Full Definition
Biologic width refers to the physiologic space occupied by the junctional epithelium (approximately 0.97 mm) and the supracrestal connective tissue attachment (approximately 1.07 mm) coronal to the alveolar crest, totalling roughly 2 mm. This zone is critical in restorative and periodontal contexts because crown margins placed within it trigger inflammation and bone loss. Editors working on clinical case reports or restorative-periodontal interface documents must ensure the term is presented as two words, unhyphenated, in running text. It should not be conflated with 'sulcular depth' or 'probing depth.' Some contemporary literature uses the preferred synonym 'supracrestal tissue attachment' per the 2017 World Workshop classification.
Usage
Usage note: The older term 'biologic width' remains widespread in clinical literature; 'supracrestal tissue attachment' is preferred in post-2017 classification documents. Flag anachronistic usage for authors.
In Context
- "The crown preparation encroached on the biologic width, necessitating osseous crown lengthening before final restoration." — Periodontal case report
- "Authors should note that 'biologic width' and 'supracrestal tissue attachment' are used interchangeably in the current literature, though the latter is now preferred." — Editorial style note