Pinhole gum surgery is a painless, non-invasive way of reversing gum recession. It is a far better alternative than the traditional option: Gum graft surgery. While gum surgery often requires multiple sessions in the dentist’s chair, pinhole periodontal surgery only needs one. There are many other reasons to choose pinhole surgery over a gum graft. A closer look at the two techniques explains why.
Receding gums can be caused by aging, periodontal disease or even aggressive brushing of the teeth. Also, some people are just more likely to have a family history of receding gums. Meaning that some people choose to correct their receding gums for cosmetic reasons while others decide to fix them for restorative purposes. Before the invention of the pinhole technique, periodontists treated receding gums with gum graft surgery. This involved harvesting donor tissue from other parts of the mouth, usually the roof of the mouth. The periodontist then surgically grafted the donor tissue onto the gums. This procedure takes time, incisions, sutures and has a relatively long recovery time.
Soon, all that will be history, thanks to pinhole gum surgery. A periodontist simply makes a tiny hole in the gums and uses the hole to access the soft tissue in the gums. The dentist then uses a unique tool to loosen the soft tissue and pull it over the exposed portion of the teeth. To keep the patient's gums in their new position, they place a collagen strip between the gums and the teeth.
Gum graft surgery leaves the patient with at least two incision sites. The patient has to put up with discomfort as they heal from this invasive surgery. Pinhole gum surgery has none of these drawbacks and many advantages. For example:
For starters, a person who needs it. A good candidate for this treatment should have no underlying dental problems, which means that a person with periodontal disease should only have the surgery as the last step in the person’s treatment plan. The person should be healthy enough to go through the procedure without the risk of developing complications. Meaning that a person should get the all-clear from their primary physician and periodontist.
To have a successful surgery in San Diego, CA, you need a periodontist who has lots of experience with the pinhole technique. We just happen to have one of those at our practice. Get in touch with us to find out more.
Request an appointment here: https://www.torreyhillsperio.com or call Torrey Hills Periodontal Group at (858) 925-1188 for an appointment in our San Diego office.
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