Gum Recession Treatment

Have you noticed your teeth look like they are too long? If you have, you may have receding gums. It doesn’t just look bad, it is bad news for the health of your teeth and gums. Though it may not seem to be a big problem now, it is best to call your Gainesville dentist to learn what treatment is needed to fix the damage and prevent worse damage from occurring.

It isn’t unusual for gum recession to go unnoticed until the symptoms are severe. In addition to the teeth looking too long, they may be sensitive to cold and hot temperatures. Receding gums expose more of the tooth to decay and without treatment, this can lead to tooth loss.

Dr. Justin Craighead, a leading Gainesville dentist, will evaluate your situation and determine the right gum recession treatment for you. Depending on how much recession there is, you may need gum grafting. Treatment begins with tooth scaling and root planing to clean out the buildup of bacteria in the pockets created by gum recession. If there has been a delay in seeking treatment, surgical deep scaling and root planing may be needed. A thorough cleaning and removal of bacteria is necessary before a gum grafting procedure can be done successfully.

If the gum is too far receded or too think, a gum graft may be necessary. Several options for gum grafting are available. One option works if nearby teeth have plenty of gum tissue that can be pulled over the exposed tooth. This type is called pedicle graft. Another type of graft, which is the most common type, is the connective tissue graft. In this procedure, tissue is taken from the Maxillary tuberosity or retro-molar pad by cutting a flap and stitched to the gums to increase the amount of gingival tissue in the area. A third type of graft is called free gingival gum grafting. It is much like connective tissue grafting except that a flap is not cut when taking the tissue for the graft. This option is better suited for patients whose gums are exceptionally thin.

With proper care, gum grafts leave your gums and teeth healthier and looking much better. It is best not to ignore possible receding gums. The sooner you have any gum problems addressed, the easier they are to treat successfully. If you delay treatment, the damage is likely to be worse and treatment will need to be more extensive. Gums can be treated and returned to a healthier state no matter how many teeth are involved but they will not get better on their own. Call a Gainesville dentist today to get your gums examined and the best gum recession treatment option determined.