Receding gums are a condition in which your gums pull back from the tooth surface, exposing the root surfaces of your teeth. For 1 out of every 10 people who wore braces, receding gums are the end result instead of a perfect smile.
Before the new pinhole technique, treatment was generally expensive and involves painful grafting. The new treatment we are discovering today takes very little recovery time, involves no stiches, and has no scalpel.
Story of 18 years old Chelsea Cassady
Eighteen-year-old Chelsea Cassady has done her research to fix a problem she says made her self-conscious to smile.
“I just looked in the mirror and I pulled up my lips and I saw that my gums were completely receded. And I didn’t even know that could happen,” Cassady stated.
How can braces cause receding gums?
The reason for receding gum is a double edge sword. Sometimes due to the changing or movement of the teeth during the process of braces, the gums can shrink away from the roots. In addition, plaque built up around the braces from bad oral hygiene can contribute to receding gums as well.
Other causes of gum recession:
- Aggressive brushing and flossing
- Uncontrollable genetics
- Irregular tooth positioning
- Teeth grinding
- Trauma or injury to teeth & gum tissue
- Poor dental hygiene
Chelsea said ‘no’ to traditional gum grafting, where tissue is surgically removed from the roof of your mouth and is stitched above the teeth. After the connective tissue the graft is then removed from under the palatal flap – the flap is stitched back down.
“too much pain” … too many treatments” … “too long of a recovery” …and so she chose pinhole surgical technique.
The Pinhole Surgical TechniqueProcedure
For the procedure, the tissue of the gums is loosened and pulled over the exposed teeth with very minimal side effects such as pain, swelling and bleeding due to absolutely zero incisions being made. The affected and exposed teeth can be treated in one easy session in about one to two hours, providing stable results that maintain gum coverage and health for several years.
Dr Kao’s Steps for Pinhole Surgical Technique in Los Angeles
Gum recession treatment is done fast and efficiently with these easy steps by Dr. Kao:
- The teeth are cleaned in the treated area.
- Anesthesia is administered to numb the area.
- A small instrument makes pinhole sized entries in the gums.
- A specialized instrument is inserted into the entry point and slowly loosens the tissue and moves it into the right position.
- Collagen strips are inserted into the entry points and gum tissue to help keep the tissue in place during recovery.
