Gum Recession
What is Gum Recession?
Gum recession is a condition where gums pull away or recede from the tooth, often exposing the roots. This can lead to tooth sensitivity, cavities, and loss of supporting bone. Gum recession may be caused by periodontal disease, brushing too forcefully with a hard bristle toothbrush, trauma, or a tooth that is not properly positioned. In addition to gum and tooth health, receding gums also impact the aesthetics of your smile by making tooth roots visible or by simply showing more tooth surface than you would like. (“Toothy” smile)
Periodontal treatment is required to prevent further recession in the affected area and neighboring teeth.
Gum Graft Surgery
Traditional treatment of gum recession involves gum graft surgery. Dr. Aldredge takes gum tissue from another site in your mouth, usually the palate, or from another donor source, and uses it to cover the exposed tooth root.
Pinhole Technique
Increasingly, patients are opting for our new, non-invasive Pinhole Gum Rejuvenation procedure to quickly correct gum recession. Dr. Aldredge is certified to use the Pinhole method, which does not use a scalpel or sutures.
Read more about the Pinhole technique, or call Dr. Aldredge to discuss this game-changing procedure.
Gum Shaping & Contouring
Aesthetic Crown Lengthening
A patient may have beautiful teeth, but feel that too much gum tissue covering their teeth negatively impacts their smile. Dr. Aldredge can perform a crown lengthening, where he removes excess soft tissue surrounding the top of the tooth to expose more tooth surface.
Excess Gum Removal
Often excess gum tissue affects some teeth and not others, creating an uneven gum line that may impair a smile’s aesthetics. Dr. Aldredge Gum reshaping or recontouring can also correct an uneven gum line.
