Gingival Recession (Gum Recession)
Phoenix, AZ
Gum tissue (termed gingiva) is a specialized oral tissue that protects the bone. It seals it from the oral cavity by the way it attaches to both the tooth root and bone. Receding gums on a single tooth or on multiple teeth occurs in just about everyone. If it occurs on an upper front tooth it can be unsightly and interrupt a nice smile. The recession exposes the tooth root which then may become sensitive. As the gum actively recedes it destroys more and more bone that hold the tooth in place. If too much bone is lost the tooth may need to be removed. Therefore, it is important to have it treated which is usually by a gum graft (gingival graft). This stops the bone loss from progressing, restores the gum attachment seal, and saves the tooth. With the proper oral plastic surgical procedure at the Implant and Periodontal Wellness Center of Arizona, the graft can also cover the exposed root and regenerate the lost beautiful smile.
What Causes Gum Recession?
There are a number of etiologies (causes) of gum recession. Two of the more common ones are the inflammation from periodontal disease and brushing too hard or with a stiff bristled brush. Others are a thin gingival phenotype, poor oral hygiene, malpositioned teeth, occlusion, grinding your teeth and bad oral habits. Genetics is often overlooked where tooth size is too large for the width of bone or the bone is too narrow for the normal root size. Orthodontic tooth position is often a factor.
At Implant and Periodontal Wellness Center of Arizona we identify and eliminate the etiologies (causes) to prevent reoccurrence after it is treated.
Gingival Graft Procedure
Even with extensive gingival grafting, our patients do not experience a lot of discomfort or swelling. At the Implant and Periodontal Wellness Center of Arizona we have developed the oral plastic surgical techniques for gingival grafting that have solved post-operative problems of the past. A minimal invasive tunneling technique (No Open Flap) is used that maximizes the blood supply to the graft. Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) and Leukocyte Platelet Rich Fibrin (L-PRF) are growth factors that promote rapid healing. They are derived from the patient's own blood and are applied to the graft, the donor site and the recipient sites. If the palate is used a protective appliance is made.
The type of graft tissue used will depend on the etiology, the surgical objectives, and the desired result. Our protocols are to avoid using a graft from the palate but that is not always possible. The palate is used because it is dense connective tissue. There are several other good oral donor sites where the proper type of tissue can be obtained. We employ a lot of Alloderm (a donated dense connective tissue) as an alternative to using any oral tissue as the results are the same. Patients who have deep gum pockets may be recommended a gingivectomy to promote healing by making teeth easier to cleaning.
Benefits of a Gingival Graft
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Restoration of your nice smile
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Better oral health
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Protection of the bone: stops bone loss
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Effects of gum disease are reversed
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Decrease tooth sensitivity
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Restoration of most of the gumline over the previous exposed root |
 Before  After  Before  After  Before  After  Before  After |
