Top Treatments for Receding Gums

Receding gum tissue may not seem like a big deal, but gum recession causes more than cosmetic imperfections. Left untreated, receding gums leads to damaged tissue and bone, and eventually total tooth loss.

Gum recession causes severe damage when the problem isn’t repaired quickly. Dr. Juan M. Carrillo, at Soothing Dental Care in Richmond, Virginia, is an expert in healthy gums. Dr. Carrillo and his skilled team of professionals prevent and repair receding gums with a number of techniques. 

What is gum recession?

Gum recession occurs when your gum tissue begins pulling away from your teeth. Teeth begin appearing longer. This leads to the exposure of your tooth root, which can become painful. Additionally, receding gums create pockets and gaps between your teeth and gumline. This is dangerous because the gaps allow harmful bacteria a place to grow and build up. Once the bacteria builds up, it damages bone and tissue that support your teeth and jaw, ultimately leading to tooth loss.

What treatments are there for receding gums?

If you notice receding gums, it’s important that you don’t ignore the issue. Make an appointment with Dr. Carrillo right away, and he’ll help you decide which treatment is right for you. There are several options.

Gum tissue graft surgery

A gum tissue graft surgery is a simple procedure in which your healthy gum tissue helps heal your mouth in places where gum tissue has worn away. There are three different types of gum- grafting surgeries. 

First is the free gingival graft. Dr. Carrillo takes a small piece of gum tissue from the roof of your mouth and then stitches it to the area where your gums are receding. Next is the connective tissue graft. This is the most common kind of tissue graft. The dentist takes a piece of connective tissue from the roof of your mouth and stitches it to the problem area. Finally, there’s the pedicle graft. Instead of taking gum tissue from the roof of your mouth, Dr. Carrillo uses a flap of tissue from an area next to your receding gums. This treatment works well if you have a lot of healthy gum tissue surrounding one area of gum recession.

None of these surgical procedures takes long, and you can return home right away.

Scaling and root planing treatment

Scaling and root planing treatment is simply a deep cleaning below your gum line. Gum recession gives bacteria (plaque) a great environment in which to thrive. Scaling removes the plaque that’s above your gum line, and extends deep under your gums. Planing is the follow-up process that smooths the root of your tooth and helps your gums reattach themselves. Sometimes this procedure takes more than one visit if the scaling and planing are extensive.

Pinhole® Surgical Technique

Dr. Carrillo is one of the few dentists in the area trained to perform the Pinhole® Surgical Technique. This highly specialized treatment is nonsurgical, requiring no stitches or incisions. Instead, the scalpel-free method uses a small needle to create tiny pinholes in your healthy gum tissue. Then, special instruments loosen gum tissue, guiding the healthy tissue over the receded gum. The procedure is quick and non-invasive. It’s so fast, the Pinhole Surgical Technique is sometimes called the “lunchtime gum lift,” surprising patients with the nearly instant results.

If you’ve noticed receding gums, call Dr. Carrillo today at 804-201-9459 to make an appointment. You can also reach out by sending us a secure message.