It is impossible to underestimate the importance of dentures to the
wearer , they remain one of the most challenging aspects of modern day
dentistry. The patient interprets the success of a denture from two
distinct points: function and aesthetics. The objective of this study
is to determine the predominant gingival tissue colour in this
environment; to assess the association of gingival tissue colour with
gender and facial skin colour. Four hundred and thirty subjects that
attended the Dental Centre, University College Hospital, Ibadan, who
consented to participate in the study were recruited for the study. The
Dummett Oral Pigmentation Index (DOPI) was used to evaluate gingival
tissue colours of the four upper central and lateral incisors and the
colour of the available acrylic denture base material. Categorical
modelling with chi square analysis using SPSS statistical package was
done (P=. 05). Association between gingival tissue colour and facial
skin colour was found to be highly significant (P<. 05). Attached
gingival predominant colour was the darker DOPI 3 colour. Colour of
processed acrylic denture base material was closely related to the DOPI
colour zero while no significant association was found between gingival
colour and gender. This study supports the impression that a strong
relationship exists between facial skin colour and gingival tissue
pigmentation. Research into the degree of epithelial vascularisation,
keratinisation and melanin pigmentation of the various zones in the
mouth in this environment is required which may explain the reason for
the dark colour observed in the attached gingival
