Plastic Periodontal Therapy
Gum Recession Causes, Risks and Treatment
Gum recession is a result of bone loss from periodontal disease. After your bone dissolves from gum disease, the overlying gum tissues frequently shrink exposing the root of the tooth. This loss of supporting bone and the covering skin tissue is generally limited to the lip side of the teeth creating an exposure of the roots that have a yellow appearance as compared to the white enamel of the tooth crown.
Recession can develop due to thin bone in the jaw. Improper toothbrushing technique with medium or hard toothbrushes can lead to recession as will shifting of the teeth or orthodontic movement that moves a tooth far to the lip side of thin bone.
As our aging Baby Boomers and our older patients reach senior status, we commonly see them develop a dry mouth syndrome due to a reduction of saliva. Aging salivary glands produce less saliva, and many medications we take have the detrimental side effect of drying the mouth. Regardless of the cause, the problem that develops is the high risk of root or gum line cavities. The exposed root surface is soft as compared to the hard enamel of the crown or head of the tooth, and it is highly susceptible to decay in a mouth that is dry or in a patient who does not brush away the acidic bacterial plaque.
Gum grafting therapy is highly successful. The basic treatment provides a graft of collagen from the patient or utilizing packaged collagen. The specific needs and options available for each patient are discussed during the consultation appointment.
Below are photographs of cases treated by grafting procedures. The photographs on the left side are prior to treatment, and the right pictures show the completed case. Two are cases with multiple tooth segments that developed recession, and the final case is of a single tooth site that also had severe inflammation of the gums.
