Luckily, there are treatments that can quite easily and effectively repair gum recession, so if you think your gums are starting to recede, contact the professionals at Advanced Dental Artistry!
WHAT CAUSES GUM RECESSION?
The most common causes of gum recession are generally…
Biologically – gum disease, or periodontal disease, which are bacterial gum infections that destroy gum tissue and supporting bone structure for your teeth.
Orthodontic – excessive tooth movement where a tooth was moved forward thinning the bone around the tooth and the gum can actually recede around the new positioning, quite predominantly with upper canine teeth.
Aggressive brushing – research shows that if you brush your teeth too hard, or in the wrong way, you can wear away tooth enamel and cause your gums to recede.
Malocclusion – the misalignment of teeth or jaws, or more simply, a “bad bite” which causes grinding or clenching, can put too much pressure on the teeth, which can lead to bone loss and gum recession.
WHAT ARE THE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED?
In most cases, the problems caused by gum recession are two-fold:
- Exposure of Roots: teeth roots don’t have protective enamel, so when exposed by gum recession, they can be painfully sensitive, and are vulnerable to bacteria infection and decay, which can lead to tooth loss.
- Cosmetically: if the gums are receding, it can look unsightly, especially if bacteria infection or decay starts to occur.
WHAT ARE THE EARLY SIGNS OF GUM RECESSION?
Because of the gradually occurring nature of gum recession, a lot of people don’t even know they have it! Warning signs are usually tooth sensitivity, as the root is exposed, or you may notice a tooth looks longer than normal. You can generally feel a notch at the top of the tooth before a receding gum line.
HOW CAN YOU PREVENT GUM RECESSION OCCURING?
As is the case with many dental problems, taking care of your mouth and oral hygiene is the best way to prevent gum recession. Using a soft-bristled toothbrush to thoroughly brush and floss your teeth every day is important, and periodical dentist visits are recommended (at least twice a year!).
During your next visit, ask your dentist to explain to you the proper way to brush your teeth. If a misaligned bite is causing the problem, discuss with your dentist the best options to correct the issue.
HOW IS GUM RECESSION TREATED?
The most common procedure we use to treat gum recession is gum grafting – where we place gum tissue over the root of the teeth, to graft or grow new tissue around the gum, and restore it to its original height.
Traditionally, ‘connective tissue grafting’ was done by taking tissue from other areas of the mouth, generally the pallet, and attaching it to the receding gum, over the exposed root.
Nowadays, we do less connective tissue grafting, as it obviously involves two areas of trauma, and more synthetic tissue grafting – where a synthetic material like that of natural gum is attached over the exposed root to natural effect.
The product we currently use is Geistlich Mucograft ®, a highly reputable global manufacturer of artificial tissue and bone products. The procedure is actually relatively simple, and we have an extremely high success rate at Advanced Dental Artistry.
The key to our success rate is our commitment to respecting the biological tissues of the tooth and gum, and allowing for adequate healing time.
If you would like to know more about our dental treatments for gum recession, please do not hesitate to contact us today. We welcome all enquiries!