Brighton Beach Gum Disease Treatment

Gum Treatment in Brighton Beach, NY

Gum recession is the process in which the gum tissue surrounding the teeth begins to wear away or pull back leading to an exposed tooth root and tooth. Recession causes “pockets” or gaps to form between the teeth and gum line. Here bacteria can build up and result in severe damage to the tissue and bone structures of the teeth and mouth and can even lead to tooth loss. This is a common dental problem that is not usually detected at first because of how gradually it progresses- if you feel any unusual tooth sensitivity if you think a tooth looks larger than normal, or you feel a notch near the gum line make an appointment with your Kipnis dentist immediately. 

Mild gum recession may be able to be treated with your Kipnis dental professional quickly with a deep cleaning to the affected areas. This deep cleaning process is called tooth scaling and root planing. Plaque and tartar that has built up deep in the tooth and root due to the receding gum line is carefully removed and smoothed to make it more difficult for future bacteria to attach themselves. Your dentist may use a hand-held scraper or ultrasonic device- a device that uses vibrations to loosen and remove plaque- to release this bacteria. In some cases, your dentist may prescribe an antibacterial gel or mouthwash to get rid of any remaining bacteria.

There are a number of factors that cause gums to recede including: 

• Periodontal disease or Gum disease - Gum disease is the infection or inflammation of the gums and mouth. Gum disease occurs in two stages- gingivitis and periodontitis. Gingivitis causes swelling, redness, and sometimes bleeding and is the first stage of gum disease. As gum disease progresses it can lead to periodontitis in which gums recede as the gum and connective tissues pull away from the teeth leaving pockets. Periodontis is very serious and can destroy gum tissue and supporting bones holding your teeth in place. Periodontis is the leading cause of gum recession. 
• Genes - Due to natural variations in our genetic makeup, some people may be genetically predisposed to gum disease and receding gums.
• Aggressive tooth brushing - Brushing teeth too hard or the wrong way can cause the enamel on teeth to wear away and gums to recede.
• Insufficient dental care - Inadequate dental care- brushing, flossing, and mouthwash- makes it easy for plaque to turn into tartar and build upon and between teeth leading to gum recession. 
• Hormonal changes - Female hormonal changes during puberty, pregnancy, and menopause can make gums more susceptible to recession. 
• Tobacco products - Smokers are more likely to experience gum recession because of the sticky plaque that comes with tobacco products. 
• Grinding and clenching teeth - Grinding and clenching can put too much force on teeth leading to gum recession.  
• Crooked teeth or a misaligned bite - When the teeth don’t perfectly come together too much pressure can be placed on gums and bones leading to recession. 
• Body piercing of lip or tongue - Jewelry can irritate gums to the point of it wearing away. 
• Injury - Injuries that include direct trauma to the gum tissue like a fall, accident, or sports injury, can cause gums to recede. 

Severe gum recession may not be able to be treated with deep cleaning because of excess bone loss and deep pocket- these severe cases can be treated by one of several surgeries. Surgical procedures to treat gum recessions include: 

• Open flap scaling and root planing - During this procedure, your dentist will fold back the gum tissue and remove harmful bacteria from the pockets deep within the teeth. After the bacteria is cleaned, the dentist will secure the gum tissue in place over the root eliminating or reducing the size of these pockets.
• Regeneration - If the bones supporting your teeth are destroyed, a regeneration procedure can be done to regenerate lost bone and tissue. During this procedure, your dentist will fold back the gum, remove tissue, then place a regenerative material such as membrane, graft tissue, or a tissue-stimulating protein. These materials will encourage your body to naturally regenerate the lost bone and tissue. Lastly, your dentist will secure the gum tissue over the root of the teeth.
• Soft tissue or Gum graft - There are several types of gum graft procedures in which skin is taken from another place of your mouth to replace the tissue lost surrounding your gums. 
• Connective Tissue Graft - This procedure is the most commonly used soft tissue graft procedure. During the procedure, a flap of skin is cut from the roof of your mouth or the palate, and tissue from under the flap called the subepithelial connective tissue is removed. This tissue is stuck in the tissue surrounding the exposed tooth and root. After the graft has been placed, the flap is stuck back down. 

• Free gingival graft - A free gingival graft is another type of soft tissue graft used to treat receding gums. During this procedure, tissue is taken directly from the palate rather than under the skin and is placed on the gums in a similar fashion as the connective tissue graft, 
• Pedicle graft - If you have enough existing gum tissue, your dentist may be able to graft directly from the gum rather than removing tissue from the palate. 
• Bonding - Bonding is a procedure in which gum-colored resin is placed over the roots of affected teeth. The resin can reduce the appearance of receding gums and protect sensitive roots. 
• Pinhole surgical technique(PST) - This is a relatively new procedure that can be used for mild to moderate receding gum cases. This procedure involves making a tiny hole in the gum tissue above the tooth root. A special tool is inserted into the hole to separate the gum from the tooth and to stretch and reposition the gum.