Healthy gums wrap tightly around the base of each tooth, covering and protecting the sensitive roots. But when your gums become sick or injured, they can begin to recede, or pull away, from the teeth. Gum recession is unsightly, painful, and can lead to serious consequences including tooth loss.

The conventional treatment for receded gums is grafting surgery. While effective, this technique is invasive and requires an extended recovery time.

Dr. LoCascio is trained in a much better method for bringing your gums back to health. One that requires no scalpels or stitches. One that will have you feeling back to your own self within hours.

Call Highland Advanced Dental Care of Highland Township, MI at 248-329-3552 to learn more about the innovative Chao Pinhole® Surgical Technique to treat gum recession.

Causes of Gum Recession

Many cases of receded gum tissue are due to periodontal disease, but there are a number of other possible causes.

  • Teeth grinding, or bruxism, can injure your gums to the point that they pull away from your teeth. Dr. LoCascio can make a custom night guard to help you kick this habit.
  • If your bite is poorly aligned, your teeth may hit your gums in such a way that they lead to recession.
  • Hormonal changes can lead to gum problems. In fact, pregnant women are known to be susceptible to a condition called “pregnancy gingivitis.”
  • Brushing or flossing your teeth too hard is a common problem that can wear away your gums.
  • Lip and tongue piercings can rub against the gums and cause them to pull away from the teeth.

The Modern Gum Recession Treatment

Conventional gum graft surgery typically involves removing healthy tissue from your mouth, positioning it over your receded gum line, and artfully stitching it into place. Recovery takes several days, during which you may have significant discomfort and will have to stick to a special diet.

The Chao Pinhole® Surgical Technique, developed by a California dentist named John Chao, takes a completely different approach. Now you can have fantastic results without gum grafting.

The procedure will be performed using local anesthesia. Dr. LoCascio will numb your gums with the DentalVibe painless anesthesia delivery system. Once you are comfortable and ready to start the procedure, Dr. LoCascio will make a small pinhole in your gum tissue. He will gently loosen the gums and shift them so that they cover the receded areas. We place collagen strips to keep the gums in place. The benefits of the treatment are numerous:

  • Most people heal in a matter of hours, not days or weeks.
  • There is no need to harvest healthy gum tissue from the mouth.
  • You won’t experience bleeding, swelling, or bruising.
  • Recovery is much more comfortable.
  • Unlike with gum grafting, the results are immediate.
  • We can treat multiple teeth at once.
  • The procedure involves no scalpels or sutures.

If you are suffering from gum recession in Highland Township, MI and would like to learn more about the Chao Pinhole® Surgical Technique, call Highland Advanced Dental Care at 248-329-3552. Or fill out our online form and we will get back to you.