Receding gums used to mean a necessary invasive oral surgery. However, at Family and Spa Dentistry, we’re proud to offer a procedure called the Chao Pinhole Surgical Technique. Dr. David Heering, our experienced periodontist, offers this treatment for both restorative and cosmetic dentistry in New Jersey. Learn more about this procedure and how it can benefit you.
Why are my Gums Receding?
Receding gums can happen for a variety of reasons. It may be genetic, or it could be from gum disease. If you have gum disease, we’ll make sure to get your gums healthy before performing this technique. Dr. Donna Vagnozzi-Bucci and the rest of the dental team will ensure this happens, usually with a deep cleaning technique known as scaling and root planing. This removes all the plaque and bacteria from the pockets of your gums.
What is a Gum Lift?
The Chao Pinhole Surgical Technique is often called a gum lift, the “Lunchtime gum lift”, gum reshaping, and gum contouring. This procedure is designed to be minimally invasive so that you don’t have to go through the whole process of oral surgery. This means you’ll have less downtime after the procedure and will heal faster.
Before a gum lift, we apply anesthetic to the area that needs to be treated to keep you comfortable throughout the procedure. A tiny hole is then made in the gum with a specialized, needle-like tool. Dr. Heering will massage the gum and contour it so that it’s farther down over your teeth where it should be.
Collagen strips are placed in your gum tissue to help the body to heal and stabilize the treated tissue. This procedure has a 95% success rate, which is why many periodontists and patients are choosing this over full oral surgery when possible. It’s also much better for the patient and avoids the complications that oral surgery can bring.
There are rarely any side effects of this procedure. You may experience a little bit of tenderness and swelling around the incision site, but it won’t last more than a couple of days. In addition, you should only need to get one gum lift ever. Healthy tissue is now where it needs to be on your teeth and should no longer recede.
Am I a Candidate for a Gum Lift?
If you’re having problems with receding gums, we’ll do a full evaluation of your oral health. If you have gum disease, it’ll have to be treated before this procedure is performed. Your oral health has to meet a certain standard to ensure that the procedure is successful. This evaluation will determine if you can move forward with this technique.
A Gum Lift for Restorative and Cosmetic Dentistry in New Jersey
Are you ready to fix your receding gums and get the balanced smile you want? Call us today or schedule an appointment online.
