Gum Recession/Mucogingival Defects

Gum recession is quite prevalent in the general population with some estimates showing up to 80% of individuals may have some form of this condition.  While each individual's presentation is unique there are some common predisposing factors that increase the likelihood of gum recession.  They may include:

Thin gingival biotype:  Congenitally thinner tissue

High Frenum:  A dental muscle insertion that can strain the gums

Tooth malposition:  Teeth that erupt in positions outside of the normal gum and bone structure

Osseous dehiscence:  Lack of bone on a tooth that may be from disease or tooth position

While an individual may have one or more of these factors present, gum recession does not always occur.  Most often a precipitating factor must be present (or anticipated) that causes the recession to occur.  These may include:

Aggressive brushing:  Excessively vigorous brushing of thin gums can wear them away

Laceration:  Trauma to thin gums can induce recession

Inflammation:  Dental plaque can cause inflammation and in thin tissue make it recede

Iatrogenic factors:  Dental procedures that change tooth position or place restorations near thin tissue may cause this tissue to recede

If any of these predisposing or precipitating factors are present, then evaluation is critical.  In some cases you may notice signs and symptoms that include tooth sensitivity, sore gums, and visual exposure of the roots.  If early diagnosis and planning occurs then recession can often be avoided; however, if it is already present then there are a variety of methods to stop it's progression and often recover much if not all of the tissue lost.  We employ optimal techniques that can utilize the patient's own tissue or donor sources and always favor the best long-term outcome.  GINGIVAL GRAFTING PROCEDURES; COSMETIC PERIODONTAL SURGERY