When the gums recede and therefore the gum tissue moves towards the apex of the tooth, it is possible to intervene with a dental operation that allows the reconstruction of the gums.
Reconstruction of the gums: when surgery can be performed
Gum reconstruction is not the first treatment used in cases of gum recession. The first therapeutic approach is in fact always aimed at eliminating the cause that determines gingival regression.
Eliminating the cause is the only possibility to minimize the effects of gum recession, even in fairly complicated clinical situations.
Therefore, in this sense, it is important to act on bad habits, such as the incorrect use of a toothbrush. Excessive and energetic brushing can cause damage to the gums and give rise to the progressive withdrawal of the same towards the apex of the tooth.
Other causes can be traumatic in nature, accidents or traumatic contact with objects; or pathological causes, such as gum infections and periodontitis.
The gum reconstruction intervention therefore has its value at the moment in which the patient wants to correct the imperfection of the uncovered tooth. The reconstruction of the gums brings the gingiva back to its natural position.
Reconstruction of the gums: types of surgery
The gingival reconstruction is a surgical procedure and as such must be performed in a specialized and well-equipped facility. It is not a particularly traumatic operation and can be performed within a single session, the duration is mainly linked to the quantity of gingival areas to be treated.
The intervention can be more or less complex depending on some variables: thickness of the gingival tissue, height, the patient’s clinical situation. Factors that the dentist will evaluate to better plan all the phases of the operation and choose the most appropriate surgical technique.
Traditional surgical technique
This technique allows the dentist to reconstruct the gums through a connective graft. Once the tissue is taken from the back of the palate, it is grafted into the gum tissue.
Tecnica chirurgica tunnel
The tunnel technique guarantees the patient a much less invasive surgical procedure than the traditional technique. In fact, there is no tissue removal, the connective graft is performed by inserting the appropriate biomaterial.
Pinhole Surgical Technique
Dr. John Chao has patented, in the United States, a new surgical technique called Pinhole, which allows the reconstruction of the gums without any type of connective graft. In fact, the technique involves pulling down the existing fabric. With a hole in the gums the tissue is slowly loosened and used to cover the uncovered part of the tooth. At the moment there are not enough clinical cases treated with this technique in order to give scientific evidence on the durability and effectiveness of Pinhole Surgical Technique, we limit ourselves to mentioning it.
Effectiveness over time
The traditional surgery and the one performed with the tunnel technique have some findings in the scientific literature that attest to the possibility of reconstructing the gum more than 90%, with interventions that prove to be lasting over time, obviously respecting the post intervention advice:
- perform adequate oral hygiene;
- avoid mechanical trauma;
- undergo scheduled checkups.
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