Gum corrections

A beautiful smile arises from a harmonic cooperation of the teeth and gums. Deviations from the norm, such as clearly visible tooth necks (recessions) or an asymmetrical gum line can lead to a deterioration in the overall aesthetic appearance.A recession is defined as the decrease of the gums and underlying alveolar bone, with the result that part of the tooth neck and the dentinal tubules are exposed.

 

 

• Incorrect brushing technique
• Tooth misalignments
• Gingiva width under 2mm
• The base of lips or cheeks frenulum on gingival margin
• Size mismatch between the tooth and alveolar bone

• Hypersensitivity of exposed tooth necks to heat or cold
• Aesthetic impairment
• Functional impairment
• Root coverage as caries prevention because the exposed dentin in the root area is significantly more susceptible to caries than enamel
• Thin buccal bone lamella
• Recession development during orthodontic tooth movement

Regardless of the surgical procedure pre-existing inflammation must be removed and the patient will be motivated to a correct brushing technique and regular recalls (check-up appointments). Malocclusion of the affected teeth must be ruled out or corrected.

The goals of periodontal surgery for recession coverage are the most complete coverage of the root surface and the rest of the recession progress. Thereby teeth can be permanently protected and an aesthetic whole restored.

The treatment of the recession is carried out by microsurgical gum reconstruction with or without gingival grafts. With the microsurgical techniques of mucogingival surgery today in many cases a complete coverage of the root surface succeeds and the recession progress can be stopped.

However, the chances of success are very dependent on the individual situation. The decisive factors are inter alia the severity of the disease, the individual gum type and life-style factors such as smoking and oral hygiene.