Intraoral plastic surgery can reduce gum recession and bone loss, making your smile healthier while improving its appearance. In some cases, these treatments at our Denver office can cover exposed roots to protect them from decay. Whether you have intraoral plastic surgery to improve function or esthetics, patients often receive the benefits of both: a beautiful new smile and improved periodontal health – your keys to smiling, eating and speaking with comfort and confidence.
A gum graft may be necessary to protect your teeth from the damaging effects of gum recession, and this treatment can also help patients improve the appearance of their smile. If your gum line is receding, this means that the tissue that surrounds the teeth is pulling away and slowly exposing more of the tooth or the tooth's root. If left untreated, this can cause damage to supporting bone and lead to tooth loss.
If you suffer from tissue loss and gum recession, an allograft treatment may be necessary to protect your teeth and bring your mouth back to full health. During an allograft, one of our expert periodontists will use donated tissue to rebuild and strengthen your gums. This treatment can make it possible for patients to receive dental implants and can improve the appearance of your smile.
The Pinhole® Surgical Technique is a minimally invasive option for treating gum recession that is typically incision and suture-free. Traditional gum recession treatments use donor tissue or soft tissue grafts to help rebuild the gum line. This soft tissue would be sutured in place and would join with existing gum tissue as it healed. While this traditional grafting treatment is effective, comparable results can be achieved through the Pinhole® Surgical Technique. Through a small hole made by a needle, our Denver experts use specially designed instruments to gently loosen the gum tissue and glide it over the receded part of the tooth. Since there is no incision or sutures, patients can expect minimal pain, swelling and bleeding after treatment. This advanced technique can also provide patients with natural-looking, long-lasting results, faster recovery times, and an overall improved experience.
Intraoral plastic surgery serves both cosmetic and restorative purposes to restore the health and position of your gums when they have become receded due to gum disease, bruxism, injury, misaligned teeth, tobacco use, aggressive tooth brushing, or poor oral hygiene.
Whatever the cause of your gum recession, it can cause a host of problems if left untreated. Receded gums do not grow back on their own and this can leave you at risk for tooth decay, gum disease, tooth sensitivity, aesthetic problems, loose teeth, and even tooth loss.
Aesthetically, gum recession exposes too much of your teeth and not enough of your gums, which can make your smile look odd. This can make patients feel insecure and avoid taking photos or going to social events. Over time, this drastically impacts their self-esteem and overall well-being.
A good candidate for intraoral plastic surgery is someone who is suffering from gum recession or gum disease. Cosmetically, you may want to restore your gums because too much of your teeth are showing.
However, it’s also important for tooth functionality and your overall health. If you are at high risk for developing cavities or gum disease, gum recession only makes you more susceptible to these oral health problems.
Your gums are supposed to cover your tooth roots, which aren’t covered with enamel. If you have had severe gum disease in the form of periodontitis, you likely have severe gum recession that requires gum grafts or allografts to restore the missing gum tissue.
However, patients need to get their gum disease under control before they can be considered a candidate for gum grafts. We recommend pinhole graft surgery for patients who have sensitive, bleeding, and receding gums, as this treatment is much less invasive than other surgical methods and it doesn’t require any incisions or sutures and promotes faster healing.
If you’re wondering if you’re a good candidate for intraoral plastic surgery, contact us at Poulos & Somers today to schedule a consultation with one of our doctors.
While it might not seem like it, gum recession is an incredibly dangerous condition. Left untreated, it will only worsen and increase your risk for a range of oral and overall health problems. Once gum tissue is destroyed or receded, it’s gone and doesn’t come back. You’ll require gum grafts or surgical intervention to position or replace the missing gum tissue.
Receded gums can expose tooth roots, putting them at risk for infection, while gum recession greatly increases your risk of developing gum disease because deepening gum pockets trap plaque and tartar that worsen inflammation and recession.
By increasing your risk for gum disease, you also increase your risk for serious health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and heart attack. Since gum disease and tooth decay put you at high risk for tooth loss.
This also means you are at risk of developing irreversible bone loss. When the tooth roots are missing, the jawbone no longer receives any stimulation, resulting in resorption of the jawbone instead of regeneration of the cells.
This causes severe consequences such as premature facial aging, increased risk of additional tooth loss, and changes to your face and bite, including the collapse of certain facial features over time.
At Poulos & Somers, we pride ourselves on transforming our patients’ smiles and restoring their periodontal health. If you suffer from bone loss or gum recession, our periodontal experts can help! We take the time to discuss your goals, answer any questions you may have, and develop a personalized treatment plan that works for you and your budget. Give us a call today at 303-832-4867 or contact us online to discuss your options with one of our Denver specialists.
