Your gums serve a very important purpose in your oral health. The gums are part of the soft tissue lining of the mouth. They form a tight seal at the base of your teeth. This tight seal is important because it forms a barrier against bacteria, holds your teeth in place, and protects the underlying bone structure.
Good oral health means you have healthy teeth and healthy gums. They go hand in hand. This is why it is important to take good care of your teeth and gums.
Receding gums is when the gums begin to draw back from the teeth, which exposes the teeth roots. This can be a sign of an oral health issue. Even though is it fairly common, it is important not to ignore gum recession and seek treatment from Dr. Robert Cain, a Knoxville periodontist.
East Tennessee Periodontics offers many tissue additive procedures for the correction of receding gum lines. As a highly trained and experienced dentist, Dr. Cain attracts many patients from the surrounding communities including people from Maryville, TN.
Treatment for Receding Gums in Knoxville, TN
Once your gums begin to recede, they do not grow back. This is why treating them as soon as possible is very important. Dr. Cain offers a range of treatments that allow him to customize your periodontal treatment for healthy, natural-looking results. The treatment you need depends on how severe the recession is and what caused it.
Chao Pinhole Technique – This treatment allows Dr. Cain to reshape your gum line without cutting or using stitches. He will create a tiny hole in the gums where he will enter with a special tool designed to loosen the gum tissue and reposition the gum line. The loosened gum tissue will then be moved down to cover the receded part of the tooth. It only takes about 1-2 hours to complete. This treatment is minimally invasive and causes minimal discomfort and downtime.
Osseous Surgery – During this treatment, Dr. Cain will gently fold back the gum tissue to remove the buildup of plaque and tartar. If the bone is damaged, he will softly reshape and mold it to create a smooth base. This will limit the areas where disease-causing bacteria can hide and allow Dr. Cain to reattach the gums to healthy bone.
Soft tissue allografts – Dr. Cain will take tissue from the roof of your mouth and place it over the exposed roots, stitching it into place. The dentist applies a dressing for a few weeks while the gums are healing.
What causes receding gums?
Many things cause receding gums, including aging, brushing too hard, jaw clenching, teeth grinding, and poor oral hygiene. People with poor oral hygiene often develop gingivitis, the early stage of gum disease that is typically characterized by red, swollen, or irritated gums that may bleed when brushing.
But often people may not even know they have developed gingivitis. Gingivitis develops when plaque is not adequately removed from the teeth surfaces. Bacteria then enter the gums. Plaque can build up if you do not brush or floss daily.
It is important to identify the cause of your gum recession. Proper treatment is essential. Gum recession will expose the tooth root leading to root decay, bone loss, and even tooth loss. Schedule a dental exam and bleeding gums evaluation with our dentists in Knoxville, TN today at (865) 276-7173.
