The best way to prevent gum recession is to take good care of your mouth. Brush and floss your teeth every day and see your dentist or periodontist at least twice a year, or as recommended. If you have gum recession, your dentist may want to see you more often.
In some cases, it may be too late for gum grafting to save the gums. If your gums are severely damaged, receding so far back that they expose the tooth's root, or if there is significant bone loss from advanced gum disease, gum grafting may not be able to restore them to their healthy state.
What do Receding Gums Look Like? The way to identify receding gums is by looking at the gum tissue surrounding each individual tooth. If the height of the gum tissue varies or if you see that the gum tissue surrounding the teeth draws back and seems red or worn away, then you are looking at receding gums.
Poor oral hygiene can cause receding gums in two ways. First, if you do not brush your teeth properly, some plaque remains, which can buildup up tartar. Tartar breeds disease-causing bacteria which affect the gums, causing them to recede towards the tooth root. The second is through aggressive hygiene.
The base cost of a gum graft can be between $600 and $1200 per tooth. A periodontist is a specialist so is likely to have a higher fee. Donor tissue is more expensive than tissue that is harvested from the roof of your mouth.
Is gum graft surgery worth it? Gum grafting boasts high success rates of over 90%. This procedure gives you the best chance of treating gum recession and improving your overall oral health. Left untreated, gum recession can result in cavities, severe gum disease, tooth mobility and even eventual tooth loss.
Gum veneers are used to cover unsightly gaps between teeth that have been subject to gingival and periodontal disease. Gum veneers are removable devices made of acrylic. The process can take a period of a few weeks to create.
During your gum graft surgery, you'll probably be awake like most people, or perhaps opt to be sedated. Most patients do not require anything more than local anesthetics to numb the area. Once the area is numb you will only feel slight applied pressure but will not feel pain or sharpness.
Gum graft surgery is usually performed under local anesthesia, so you will be awake during the procedure but should not feel any pain. Your dentist or oral surgeon will make small incisions in your gums and insert donor tissue or synthetic material into the affected area.
In addition, patients will frequently complain of a bad smell and indicate their graft is “dead.” Because plasmatic circulation is important to graft survival, pooling of blood — sufficient to form a clot at the interface between host and graft tissues — will be detrimental to success.
The simple answer is, no. If your gums are damaged by, for example periodontitis, the most severe form of gum disease, it's not possible for receding gums to grow back. However, even though receding gums can't be reversed there are treatments that can help to stop the problem from getting worse.
Exposed tooth roots are most commonly caused by receding gums or gum disease, but other factors can contribute as well. Gum disease occurs when bacteria enters the space between your teeth and gums, causing an infection that eventually recedes the bone around the teeth and exposes the roots if not treated.
The cost of gum grafting starts at $1200. There are other factors, like the severity, that may increase the cost. Remember, we have payment options available to suit your budget. Remember, your gums may recede over time so it's important to keep regular dental appointments so your dentist can keep track of this.
If you use your own tissue, the most teeth you can typically graft at once would probably be somewhere in the neighborhood of 7-8 teeth. With alloderm, you could graft every single tooth in your mouth in one sitting!
As most surgical procedures, gum grafting surgery implicates risk of infection, bleeding, and reaction to anesthesia. Besides, severe pain, bone rejection, inflammation, swelling, nerve injury, bacterial exposure of wounds, loose sutures, uneven healing, and more…
About 15-20% of the patients ages 20-35 have some sort of gum recession and may require grafting. About 75% of people older than 50 will require some form of gum grafting due to age and normal chewing.
Pinhole Surgical Technique
Next, your periodontist uses special instruments to loosen your gums and move them back to the appropriate position. This procedure has gained popularity due to it being far less invasive than traditional gum grafting, which in turn makes the recovery time significantly faster.
While a gum graft procedure isn't considered major surgery, it does require some recovery time and short-term modifications to your diet. The procedure typically takes tissue from the roof of the mouth, also known as the palate. The healthy tissue is attached to the location where dead and diseased tissue was removed.
Electric toothbrushes are generally considered safer for gums. In addition, soft bristles are recommended over hard bristles, regardless of toothbrush type. As aggressive brushing can lead to gum recession, an electric toothbrush with better, soft bristles can be superior for gum health.
Receding gums are an oral health concern when they get to the point where tooth roots are exposed. It leads to a higher risk of decay, infection, and loss. Therefore, if you suspect your gums are receding, or a dental professional has brought it up to you, it's time to seek treatment.
In some cases, they may even recede within a matter of weeks or months. Of course, the rate at which your gums recede also depends on your age. As we age, our gums naturally begin to recede. In fact, it's estimated that up to 12% of Americans over the age of 65 have some degree of gum recession.