Receding Gums Treatment

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Pinhole Gum Recession Treatment Technique & Soft Tissue Grafting to Combat Receding Gums.

Here at Smile Cliniq, we can perform the new, easy way to treat receding gums in London – say goodbye to long and sensitive teeth with our pinhole surgery, gum recession treatment.

Gum Graft Recession, or Receding Gums, occurs when the gum line moves away from the enamel and leaves the root surface exposed. This will usually result in an unpleasant appearance of the gum and tooth, often leading to sensitive teeth. Most notably, receding gums can also result in a greater risk of further infection of the gums and teeth, since the tooth is losing its natural barrier to withstand bacterial penetration. Gum graft recession does not allow for effective oral hygiene at home due to increased sensitivity of the teeth and more difficulty in reaching the receded section. Consequently, more bacterial plaque builds up, contributing to even further recession, bone loss and the establishment of gum disease.

What is Receding Gums Surgery at Smile Cliniq?

The Pinhole Surgery Technique, also known as Pinhole Gum Rejuvenation, was established by John Chao (D.D.S.) and is a scalpel-free, suture-free, graft-free procedure for correcting gum graft recession and saving the teeth. Pinhole surgery is a minimally invasive type of receding gums surgery that does not require any incisions or sutures. Instead, a small instrument is used to create a tiny pinhole-sized entry point in the tissue.

Next, a special instrument is inserted and used to gently loosen the tissue so that it can be pulled over the exposed tooth. Since no incisions are being made, side effects such as pain, swelling, and bleeding are kept to a minimum. Additionally, patients will notice an instant improvement in the appearance of their smile after gum recession treatment.

Pinhole Gum Recession Treatment Animation

Gum Graft Recession After Having the Pinhole Technique

The pictures above are supplied by the founder of the pinhole technique, Dr John C Chao, and published in The International Journal of Periodontics and Restorative Dentistry, A Novel Approach to Root Coverage: The Pinhole Surgical Technique.

Who Performs the Receding Gums Treatment & How Does It Work?

PST (Pinhole Surgical Technique) at Smile Cliniq is performed by Dr Evdokia Chasioti, the only Specialist Periodontist in the UK who is trained and certified to offer this gum graft recession technique. Find out more information about Dr Chasioti here.

The first step when it comes to gum graft recession Pinhole surgery is to clean the teeth in the area needing treatment. Next, our Periodontist will administer local anaesthesia to numb the affected area. Using a small instrument, a pinhole-sized (0.1 inch) entry point is made in the gums for the receding gums treatment.

Once the area has been fully prepared to undergo the procedure, our Periodontist will insert a specialized instrument into the tiny entry point that has been made. Using this instrument, the tissue is slowly loosened and moved into the desired position. Finally, a different instrument is used to insert collagen strips through the entry point and into the gum tissue. This will help to keep the tissue in the correct place while the area heals itself. The entire receding gums treatment should take no longer than one hour to complete and can be applied to several teeth at once if needed.

What are the Benefits of Receding Gums Surgery?

Pinhole surgery provides you with several benefits that no other receding gums treatment can, including:

• No Incisions Necessary – Since this is not a tissue graft, there is no need to cut or remove any part of your gums or palate.
• No Sutures Needed – The tissue is held in place using collagen strips, rather than sutures that need healing. This means a faster recovery for the patient than when using traditional grafting.
• Minimal Pain Experienced – You will experience only a minimal amount of pain, swelling, or bleeding after having receding gums surgery.
• Instant, Visible Results – The pinhole technique provides an instantly noticeable cosmetic improvement to your smile. The tiny entry point created is barely apparent and should disappear as soon as the next day, meaning excellent, natural-looking, long-lasting results.
• Efficiency – It is possible to correct up to 14 teeth at once in one to two hours.

Gum Graft Recession & Gum Grafting

What Happens During Traditional Gum Recession Treatment?

During a traditional soft tissue gum recession treatment, the doctor removes a small piece of gingival tissue, typically from the roof of the mouth, and sutures it into place where the gums have receded. Although the treatment is not as invasive as some other oral surgeries, soft tissue gum grafting does involve incisions, stitches, and some degree of post-operative discomfort. Patients will commonly experience discomfort for several days following their procedure. They may encounter complications from eating certain foods or from accidentally brushing or flossing too close to the sutures or treatment area. This can slow the healing process and increase the risk of developing an infection.

The traditional receding gums surgery is an effective treatment for gum graft recession, but with the advent of the Chao Pinhole Surgical Technique®, it poses an unnecessary risk of complications for the patient.

Soft Tissue Grafting Technique

The Soft Tissue Graft is designed to resolve various problems and it is widely used to cover unattractive tooth roots, reduce gum recession and root sensitivity, and protect the exposed roots from decay and any further receding gums and bone loss.

It is also important for your teeth if undergoing orthodontic or restorative treatment, to have a sufficient amount of strong gum tissue around the necks of the teeth, to prevent further recession during treatment.

Gum Graft Recession Prior to Orthodontic Treatment

Gum tissue can be added in several ways, with sometimes the gum recession able to be corrected by adjusting the existing level of gum tissue. The most common treatment method is soft tissue graft. This is when a thin piece of gum tissue is softly taken from the roof of the mouth, or gently moved over from neighbouring areas, to provide a stable band of strong gum around the tooth.

Treating Gum Recession with Alloderm or Mucograft

Please click here for more information about Laser Gum Treatments and here for gum de-pigmentation (gum bleaching).