Oral Mucosa 2

Gingiva, alveolar mucosa (and muco-gingival junction)

The gingiva (area 1) is a typical masticatory mucosa. It has a keratinised epithelium (may be ortho or para keratinised), very long and pointed epithelial ridges/dermal papillae, a dense lamina propria and no sub-mucosa. It is a mucoperiosteum.

The alveolar mucosa (area 2) is a typical lining mucosa with a non-keratinised epithelium, short, blunt epithelial ridges /dermal papillae, relatively loose lamina propria  and a sub-mucosa. This area also contains the muco-gingival junction where there is an instantaneous change from the keratinised (masticatory) mucosa of the gingiva to the non-keratinised (lining) mucosa of the alveolar mucosa.