Periodontal Plastic Surgery

Periodontal Plastic Surgery

What is Periodontal Plastic Surgery

When your gums recede, it exposes an increasing amount of your tooth, its crown, and root. Teeth begin to appear to look longer than normal as the gum tissues move towards the root. This causes the gums to appear unhealthy, uneven and unattractive.

Gum recession can be caused by:

  • Periodontal Disease

  • Smoking

  • Orthodontic Treatment

  • Trauma to the Gums

Symptoms of gum recession:

  • Decay on root surfaces

  • Increased sensitivity to hot and cold

  • Esthetic concerns

Treatment of Gum Recession

When the recession is minor, healthy gum tissue often remains attached to the tooth and protects the tooth from bacterial penetration and further recession. In such cases no treatment other than modifying home care practices is necessary. However, when recession reaches the mucosa, the first line of defense against bacterial penetration is lost and gum grafting becomes necessary.

Gum grafts can be taken from the patient’s own tissues (autogenous tissue) as well as from donor tissues, depending on the patient’s initial presentation and symptoms. Autogenous tissue is considered the gold standard as it provides robust long-term results. Grafting with autogenous tissue involves taking tissue the patient’s palate and suturing it to the recipient site that is being treated. The same applies when using donor tissue with the exception of harvesting tissue from the palate.

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Benefits of Gum Grafting Surgery

  • Prevent further recession and bone loss by increasing the amount of attached tissue around the tooth.

  • Obtain root coverage in some cases.

  • Improved smile esthetics.

What does the procedure entail?

When performing this procedure, Dr. Kashlan is trained in the most up-to-date minimally invasive techniques known as tunneling. Via a small incision he is able to fully release the gums at the recession area to allow placement of the graft underneath the gums. This ensures maximum blood supply to the graft for maximum esthetic results. The graft is secured in place via sutures that remain in the area for 2-3 weeks.