Gum Grafting Procedures
Gum Recession Treatment in Livingston & Clark NJ
In periodontal health, there are two types of gum tissues that surround the tooth.
The part that is around the neck of the tooth and is firmly attached to the tooth and underlying bone is called attached gingiva. The attached gingiva is immovable and tough and deflects food as it passes over the gum.
Below the attached gingiva is looser gum, called alveolar mucosa. This tissue contains muscle and is flexible to allow movement of the cheeks and lips. The muscles in the alveolar mucosa are constantly contracting which pulls on the bottom edge of the attached gingiva.
However, normally the attached gingiva is wide and strong enough to act as a barrier, which prevents the gum from being pulled down, resulting in recession.
Some people are born without sufficient quantities of attached gingiva to prevent the muscle in the alveolar mucosa from pulling the gum down. In these cases, the gum slowly continues to recede over time, even though the patient may be very conscientious with their oral hygiene.
Recession of this type is not a result of an infection, as is seen with periodontal disease, but rather an anatomic condition. Unfortunately, bone recession is occurring at the same time the gum is receding. This is because the bone, which is just under the gum, will not allow itself to become exposed to the oral cavity and recedes with the gum.
Gum recession can be treated with grafting techniques. The area is made numb using local anesthesia (novocaine) and a thin piece of tissue is taken from another part of the mouth or gently moved over from an adjacent area.
This provides a stable band of attached tissue around the tooth. The gum graft may be placed in such a way as to cover the exposed portion of the root.
Another approach Dr. Eskow uses to treat gum recession is the Pinhole Surgical Technique.™ After the gum is numbed, a small hole (pinhole) is made in the gum, providing access to move the gum to cover the exposed root surface. Collagen is placed under the gum to stabilize it in its new position. This technique does not require incisions or sutures.
Are receding gums distracting from your smile?
Contact us today to learn more about gum grafting and to schedule your appointment
Review our before and after cases below:
Pre-treatment: right tooth has exposed root
Post-treatment: gum moved down to cover exposed root, creating same gum level on both teeth
Pre-treatment: extreme recession revealing
too much tooth
Post-treatment: gum graft creates proper tooth
size enhancing attractive smile
Pre-treatment: 3 teeth with gum recession and exposed roots
Post-treatment: correction of recession and coverage of roots following gum grafting
Pre-treatment: exposed root
Post-treatment: root coverage following
gum grafting