Healthy gums play a crucial role in your oral health and overall well-being. Gum recession is a serious issue that affects many people across the globe. It mainly affects people who smoke, have gum disease, brush their teeth too harshly, or use the wrong kind of brush. But it is a treatable condition with the proper diagnosis and from the right dentist. If not treated early or properly, gum recession can result in tooth loss as it exposes the structures supporting your teeth. Deeper gum pockets resulting from gum recession could also be reasonable breeding grounds for dangerous bacteria that cause decay and periodontitis.
Gum grafting is an excellent treatment option for receding gums. However, it is extensive, expensive, and painful. Our dentists at Beach Dental Care offer pinhole gum rejuvenation to restore your lost gumline, save your wobbly teeth, and restore your smile. We have extensive experience handling all kinds of oral and dental issues. Thus, you can count on our quality diagnosis, treatment, and support in Anaheim.
What is Gum Recession?
Your gums have the supporting structures for your teeth. Thus, they must remain strong and healthy to keep your teeth stable and functional. Sadly, your teeth are affected by external and internal factors, just like your teeth and jawbone, which impact their ability to keep your teeth stable. Gum recession is a severe condition affecting your gum tissues, causing them to recede and exposing the inner structures of your teeth. Recession exposes the teeth’s roots and could leave your teeth with minimal or zero support, making them wobbly or starting to fall off.
The condition occurs when your gum soft tissues start pulling away from your teeth, exposing your teeth' inner structures. When the gum tissues pull away from the teeth, they leave pockets, which widen as the problem escalates. These gum pockets trap food particles. Since these pockets are impossible to clean through regular brushing and flossing, they could grow dangerous bacteria. Regardless of the cause of your gum recession, it puts you at risk of periodontal disease and cavities because of that bacterial growth.
A gum recession does not happen overnight; it starts small and worsens with time. At first, it could be difficult to notice until you notice a difference in the appearance of your gums and teeth. For example, your teeth could look longer than they have always been. You could also notice exposure to part of your teeth’s underlying structure. Recession also leaves bare the dark yellow part of your teeth. You should also notice a notch on your gum line. It is advisable to consult with a dentist when you realize something is wrong with your teeth or gums. Your dentist will examine you to determine the cause of the gum recession and recommend proper treatment.
Other indications of gum recession you should watch out for include:
- Experiencing pain in your gum line.
- Teeth sensitivity to cold or hot foods and beverages.
- Sensitivity when brushing your teeth.
Your dentist’s first decision will be to determine the cause of your gum recession. Treating the cause will prevent further recession. They will then recommend the proper treatment for your receded gums. There are several causes of gum recession. The common ones are aggressive brushing and periodontal disease. Dentists recommend gentleness when brushing teeth to avoid damaging the soft gum tissues. They also recommend using a soft brush for the same reason. If the cause of your gum recession was aggressive brushing, your dentist will demonstrate safe techniques to avoid a similar problem.
Periodontal disease is the other common cause of gum recession. It is a severe disease that affects your gum’s soft tissues. The disease starts as gingivitis, which causes inflammation of your gums. If not treated at its onset, it worsens and spreads to the gum’s underlying structures. Gum or periodontal disease occurs when your teeth develop a buildup from a combination of remaining food particles and the bacteria in your mouth. This combination creates an acidic reaction that results in plaque or tartar buildup, which forms on your gum line. The buildup causes inflammation in your gums and infection once it worsens.
The infection can spread to your teeth’s underlying structures and other body parts through the bloodstream. You need immediate treatment once you are diagnosed with gum disease. Your dentist will first treat the infection, then your gums, to restore their look and functionality. Sometimes, realizing you have gum disease is difficult until it has spread too much on your gums. But regular visits to your dentist will enable them to diagnose the issue early enough before it causes so much damage to your teeth.
Though rare, tooth grinding can cause gum recession. Some people habitually grind their teeth, especially while sleeping. If you have this problem, your dentist can recommend wearing a mouthguard at night to protect your gum tissues and teeth.
Additionally, some people are more predisposed to gum recession than others. For example, if you smoke or have a history of gum recession in your family, you could be at risk of experiencing the problem. Regular visits to the dentist will ensure the problem is detected and treated early before it escalates. Your dentist can also recommend measures you can take to keep yourself safe from gum recession.
Diagnosis and Treatment for Gum Recession
You will need immediate treatment once your gums start receding. Otherwise, you could lose your teeth once the problem worsens. You could also develop an oral infection that will cause severe oral issues that could affect your overall health. While improving your oral hygiene is recommended as a daily habit that will keep your teeth, gums, and jawbone strong and healthy, it will not help much when your gums recede significantly. A dentist must address the cause of the recession and then treat the recession before advising you on oral hygiene habits that will keep the problem from recurring.
Additionally, it is advisable to consult with a dentist once you notice some changes in the appearance of your gums or teeth. When proper treatment for gum recession is administered early, you can save your teeth and prevent severe oral and general health conditions that result from extreme gum recession.
Typically, dentists will recommend surgery for extreme gum recession. Surgery will reconstruct your gums and save your teeth from falling out. Surgical treatment for gum recession mainly entails gum grafting. It is a process in which the surgeon uses tissue from a different part of your body to cover your exposed teeth and roots and add some volume to your gum line. The treatment process is extensive, and could take two or more weeks to recover.
Gum grafting is the traditional treatment for gum recession. The advancement of technology has brought new and better gum recession treatments that modern dentists recommend. These new techniques and treatments resolve some of the issues patients have had with the traditional treatments. For example, gum grafting is a lengthy treatment process. It is invasive, expensive, and excruciating. It will also take you a long time to recover. Most people with advanced gum recession are skeptical about gum grafting; some do not receive proper treatment because of those setbacks.
That is why dentists today recommend a less-invasive, less painful, quick, and more affordable treatment for receding gums called pinhole gum rejuvenation. It is a new procedure in the field of dentistry that will restore your receding gums and the stability of your teeth.
What is Pinhole Gum Rejuvenation?
It is one of the latest treatment methods in dentistry for restoring gum contours. It is suture- and scalpel-free, making it less invasive and painful. Using unique tools, the dentist performing this surgical technique makes small incisions on your gum’s soft tissues. They will then use those incisions to access the gums and manipulate them over the area where they have entirely receded. The goal is to cover your exposed tooth’s roots due to gum recession.
Note: This treatment procedure does not involve cutting and stitching, like traditional surgical treatments. Thus, you will not experience pain, bleeding, or swelling after the treatment. Therefore, pinhole gum rejuvenation is the most preferred treatment alternative to gum grafting, even for the most advanced gum recession. Additionally, dentists can complete the treatment the same day you seek help. You will not need a hospital stay to recover or to take a few days off your busy schedule to recover from treatment.
Pinhole gum rejuvenation is a significant improvement over traditional gum grafting. Remember how sensitive your soft gum tissues are. An invasive procedure to restore your receding gums will leave you experiencing pain for weeks. But you can restore receding gum tissues to their original position with this treatment without experiencing pain or suffering for weeks after treatment. The most important aspect of this treatment is to restore your gums so they can cover any exposed tooth roots. The dentist will also thicken your gum tissues to prevent further recession.
However, you must first address the underlying cause of gum recession before undergoing pinhole gum rejuvenation. For example, if you have periodontitis, your dentist must treat it before restoring your gums. It is the only way to ensure your gums will not recede after treatment.
When you consult a skilled general dentist with receding gums, they will first examine your gums, teeth, and jawbone to determine the cause of your recession and other oral issues. Then, they will develop a complete treatment plan to resolve the problem. Your gum examination will include the following:
- An examination of your soft tissues, gum pockets, and teeth’ stability.
- A diagnostic review of the underlying tissues and structures.
- A deep evaluation of your teeth, gums, and jawbone.
- A review of your treatment history.
- A discussion of your treatment choices and other alternatives.
- Your treatment plan and detailed quotation.
If the dentist discovers periodontitis, you cannot undergo pinhole gum rejuvenation. They will first treat the disease and only start the pinhole process once you are healed from gum disease.
The Treatment Process
Pinhole gum rejuvenation involves several processes in one treatment procedure. The first process involves comprehensively examining your gums and how severe the recession is. Once the dentist declares you are a good candidate for this treatment, they will review and start your treatment plan. Your dentist can recommend starting the treatment by deep cleaning your teeth and gums. After pinhole gum rejuvenation, you will not brush your teeth for up to three months. Once the procedure is done, your dentist will give instructions on keeping your mouth clean before you resume brushing and flossing.
The treatment process starts with the oral surgeon making minor incisions in the gum tissues. They will use a small and unique tool for that. The surgeon will then insert a small tool through that incision to manipulate your gums and gently loosen them. With the tool, they will push, expand, and manipulate the gum line as required to correct the recession and cover your exposed teeth roots.
Note: Even though pinhole gum rejuvenation is a surgical process performed by an oral surgeon, it does not involve cuts, sutures, or grafts. The surgeon will only adjust your soft tissues into their rightful position and secure them in place using collagen strips for support. With the collage, your gum tissues can remain in a good position for life, provided you do not suffer gum recession again. The entire treatment process will take about an hour. The cosmetic outcome is usually instant. You can resume your regular schedule after a day or two.
Caring For Your Teeth and Gums After Pinhole Gum Rejuvenation
The results of pinhole gum rejuvenation can last a lifetime without needing a second or third procedure in the future. But, you must care for your gums and teeth to avoid gum recession after rejuvenation. For example, if you habitually grind your teeth, consider having a mouthguard to protect your teeth and gums. Your dentist will also recommend using a soft brush and gently brushing your teeth daily. You must practice good oral habits as your dentist recommends, including brushing after every meal or at least twice a day and flossing. That will free your gums and mouth from severe conditions like cavities and gum disease.
Your dentist will send you home with post-surgical instructions to keep your gums in position and in good health. It is advisable to adhere to these instructions to avoid a relapse. Regular visits to the dentist also help maintain a healthy mouth.
The Benefits of Pinhole Gum Rejuvenation
The multiple benefits of pinhole gum rejuvenation make it the most preferred treatment for gum recession today. For example, you can treat several recession areas on your gum in one visit to the dentist’s office. People anxious about or afraid of dental visits can greatly benefit from this. Besides, it reduces the overall cost of treatment significantly since you pay every time you visit a dentist.
Pinhole gum rejuvenation does not result in adverse side effects. The dentist's incision on your gums is minimal, resulting in less bleeding and pain. You will experience less soreness, inflammation, and bleeding after treatment. Surgeons use collagen strips to hold the rejuvenated gum tissues in place instead of suturing.
You need less time to recover after a pinhole procedure than after an invasive surgical procedure. It is because the surgeon does not cut you open or stitch you up after the process. You do not need to take a long break from work to recover from treatment after rejuvenation. You should be back to your daily schedule after a day or two.
You enjoy almost instant results after a pinhole rejuvenation procedure. Once the surgeon manipulates your gum tissues and covers the exposed underlying structures, you will see an instant change in your appearance. Your smile, look and feel will improve instantly.
However, your dentist could require more time to treat an underlying disease or condition when rejuvenating. If you have gum disease, oral inflammation, or infection, you must obtain treatment for that first. That could delay your results. Additionally, if you had a severe gum recession that affected your bone structure, you could require extensive treatment to restore your gum structure before rejuvenating your gums.
Working with an experienced dentist is advantageous because they will explain the entire treatment process beforehand. They will also discuss your options and guide you in making the right decision.
Find a Competent General Dentist Near Me
Gum recession is a severe oral condition affecting your smile, confidence, and teeth support. Not treated early could cause your teeth to fall off and affect your confidence and general health. However, dentists have effective treatments for gum recession. Gum grafting is a popular traditional treatment process that has helped many people. However, it is invasive, painful, and requires a long recovery. The best alternative is pinhole gum rejuvenation.
Our highly skilled and experienced dentists at Beach Dental Care Anaheim have the information you need to understand what pinhole gum rejuvenation entails, its benefits, and its setbacks. We will also discuss with you what to expect after treatment and how to care for your gums to avoid a relapse. Call us at 714-995-4000 if you need treatment for gum recession in Anaheim, CA. We will be happy to discuss your treatment needs and our services.
