In addition to anchoring your teeth in place, gums help improve your smile’s appearance. Hence, maintaining a proper dental and oral health routine is critical to keeping your teeth and gums healthy.
One of the common oral health issues you could develop when you neglect your dental and oral care routine is gum recession. Gum recession is primarily caused by poor oral hygiene, though other factors we will discuss below could also be culprits. In addition to being a cosmetic concern, gum recession could affect your overall health because it could allow harmful bacteria to enter the bloodstream.
Fortunately, using pinhole gum rejuvenation or treatment, your periodontist can restore your gums’ health without making large cuts on your gums. At The Hawthorne Dentist, we pride ourselves on being well-equipped with modern dentistry equipment that helps our dentists give you the precise treatment you need to restore your oral health within the shortest time possible.
Pinhole Gum Rejuvenation Treatment at a Glance
Once your gums recede or pull away, it could be challenging to reattach them to your teeth naturally, even when the dentist treats the underlying cause of the issue. Traditionally, restoring your gums’ health when they recede required surgery because your dentist had to remove soft tissues from the roof of your mouth and stitch them to the location of the recession.
This painful surgical treatment would leave two surgical sites to heal over several weeks before you notice any significant improvement in your gum’s health. Fortunately, nowadays, your periodontist can fix your gum recession issue without requiring any incision through a procedure known as pinhole gum rejuvenation.
While it is not a remedy for gum disease, pinhole gum rejuvenation, or pinhole surgical technique (PST), can quickly improve your receding gums issue, and this procedure is typically painless. Only local anesthesia is needed to numb your gum tissue before creating tiny access points, also known as pinholes.
Once the dentist numbs your tooth, he/she will use special dental instruments to guide the affected gum tissue into the ideal position in the mouth. Then, he/she will use collagen strips to stabilize it and promote natural synthesis of more collagen for healthier gums.
Unlike the traditional gum grafting procedure, you will experience minimal swelling, bleeding, or post-treatment discomfort, and the pinholes created will heal quickly. Also, your smile’s appearance will improve immediately after the procedure and could last a long time with excellent oral and dental hygiene.
Understanding What Gum Recession is and its Causes
Gum recession is a prevalent oral health issue, and most people will not detect it during its onset because it occurs gradually. Also medically known as “gingival” recession, gum recession occurs when the gum tissues recede or pull away from your teeth, exposing your tooth roots.
When the gum recession exposes your tooth roots, a natural side effect you will notice is periodontal pockets, which form between the gums and your teeth. When left unchecked, these periodontal pockets create an excellent environment for plaque and bacteria to thrive, leading to worse oral health issues like periodontitis, which could lead to tooth loss.
For all these reasons, the gum recession is not an issue you should overlook. The sooner a gum recession issue is detected, the better for immediate and effective treatment. To that end, it is also important to understand some common causes of this oral health issue for proper prevention measures, and they include:
Smoking and Use of Tobacco Products
In addition to affecting your smile aesthetics, smoking cigars, cigarettes, and chewing tobacco products could damage your gums due to the tar and nicotine present in them. These ingredients inherent in tobacco-related products could negatively affect your gum health because they promote plaque buildup, which hosts harmful bacteria.
Additionally, the smoke from the tobacco and cigars makes your mouth heat up, leading to the fast deterioration of your gum’s health. The heat from the cigarette smoke causes this severe deterioration of your gum health because it weakens your gum tissues, increasing their vulnerability to bacterial attacks and infections.
Smoking and chewing tobacco products are culprits for gum recession because they cause the gums around your teeth to become uneven and thin. When that happens, your dentist could recommend pinhole gum rejuvenation treatment to help restore your gums’ health.
Brushing and Flossing Your Teeth Aggressively
Using excess force to brush your teeth could cause severe tissue loss when your toothbrush bristles aggressively rub against the gumline. Continued exposure of your gums to this aggressive brushing could cause them to recede and reveal your teeth roots.
Similarly, flossing teeth with too much force could also contribute to gum recession. That is why it is vital to be gentle when brushing and flossing your teeth. If your dentist determines the cause of your gum recession is aggressive tooth brushing or flossing, he/she will recommend using less force when brushing and flossing your teeth.
A reliable dentist will show you the proper way to brush and floss your teeth without injuring your teeth and gums. If your toothbrush has stiff bristles, which could hurt your gums even when brushing gently, your dentist will recommend switching to a soft-bristled toothbrush.
Nonetheless, if you have receding gums due to this harmful dental care habit, PST could be necessary to reconstruct your gums as long as the adjacent gum tissues are healthy and in excellent condition.
Gum Injury
Your gums could recede as a result of poor tissue healing and regeneration if you have suffered severe facial trauma, particularly around the mouth area, after an accident or fall that caused your gums to detach from the teeth. To fix this issue and ensure the growth of healthy gums, your dentist could recommend PST.
Teeth Grinding
Also medically known as bruxism, teeth grinding is a condition that makes you clench or grind your teeth unconsciously. Teeth grinding typically occurs during sleep but can also happen during the day, often without conscious control.
In addition to making your teeth enamel wear away and causing temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder, prolonged teeth grinding could make your gums recede. While the exact cause of teeth grinding remains unknown, there are many risk factors and possible contributors, including the following:
- High levels of anxiety and stress
- Sleep disorders
- Medical conditions, like epilepsy
- Certain medications, like antidepressants
- Habits and lifestyle, like smoking
- Misaligned bite
In addition to helping you address the cause of the bruxism issue, your dentist can help treat your gum recession issue using the pinhole technique.
Teeth Misalignment
Improper teeth position, also known as malocclusion, could cause your gums to recede because this condition makes you exert too much pressure on your jawbone and gums when chewing. Additionally, teeth misalignment makes it challenging to brush and floss your teeth effectively, increasing your chances of developing cavities and gum disease, which causes your gums to pull away.
In addition to recommending proper orthodontic treatment, like wearing braces to help align your teeth, your dentist could recommend the PST to reconstruct your receded gums.
Gum Disease
Another common cause of gum recession is gum disease, which is often caused by poor oral and dental hygiene. When you neglect your dental and oral healthcare practices, like teeth brushing and regular dental visits, plaque can develop on the surface of your teeth and below the gumline, causing your gums to recede.
In addition to gum recession, you could experience the following symptoms if you have gum disease:
- Gum swelling and inflammation
- Halitosis (long-lasting bad breath)
- Bleeding gums
- Red gums
If you have experienced these symptoms, immediate medical assessment from a skilled dentist is necessary. When left untreated, gum disease could progress, leading to bone loss and eventually tooth loss. Fortunately, PST is an excellent remedy for the gum recession issue. However, your dentist must treat the underlying cause of the gum recession to prevent the progression of this issue.
Symptoms of Gum Recession
Understanding the symptoms to look out for when you have gum recession can help avoid delayed treatment and prevent more complicated issues. Below is an overview of common symptoms to watch out for if you have receding gums:
Visibly Shrinking Gums
A common indicator of gum recession is noticeable shrinkage of your gums, which makes the distance between your teeth and gums appear longer. Ideally, if your gums are healthy, the roots of your teeth should remain well attached to your gums, meaning a person cannot notice your teeth below the gumline.
If you notice some of your teeth appear longer than others, you should consult a dentist because that is a sign of gum recession, which occurs when your gums shrink.
Long-Lasting Bad Breath
While you could experience bad breath after consuming smelly foods like garlic, onions, and ginger, this issue will end once you brush and floss your teeth. However, if you have a long-lasting bad breath issue that does not improve even after brushing your teeth, you should seek a dentist’s intervention because that indicates something is wrong with your oral health.
One of the causes of bad breath is gum disease, which causes your gums to recede, creating periodontal pockets where the odor-producing bacteria thrive.
Teeth Sensitivity
As mentioned in the previous paragraph, when your gums recede, they will not reattach to the teeth naturally. When that happens, the sensitive part of the tooth will become exposed, leading to sensitivity issues when you:
- Bite down
- Drink cold or warm beverages
- Take a big breath of cold air
- Eat sweets
While teeth sensitivity could occur occasionally after eating sour foods, a constant teeth sensitivity issue could be a sign of a tooth cavity or gum recession.
Root Exposure
Severe gum recession issues can eventually lead to exposure of your tooth roots to the environment and bacteria. This dental issue is particularly worrying because it leaves the most delicate parts of your tooth vulnerable and prone to bacterial attack, which could eventually lead to tooth loss.
In addition to causing painful symptoms, exposed tooth roots could make it challenging to chew food properly, primarily because your tooth roots do not receive adequate nourishment from the gums as required to grow strong.
Gum Inflammation
Swollen gums often indicate that your immune system is fighting an infection. If you have a gum recession issue, this symptom could arise due to the increased exposure of your teeth and gums to harmful bacteria. Fortunately, PST is a helpful treatment that can reposition your gum tissues, reduce the swelling, and promote the biological reattachment of your gums to the teeth over time for a healthy smile.
Bleeding Gums
Regular bleeding of your gums is a sign that your gum health is compromised, which should necessitate an immediate appointment with your dentist. Your bleeding gums issue could be due to various factors like aggressive tooth brushing, exposure of your gums to hot cigarette or cigar smoke, and underlying medical problems, making your gums recede and become weak.
Even though your gum bleeding issue is non-severe, it could worsen over time, especially if it is caused by gum disease. Therefore, if you have shiny red or bleeding gums, you should schedule an appointment with your dentist immediately because that could indicate a severe gum infection.
Tooth Loss
With several blood vessels supplying your teeth, your gum line plays a crucial role in providing essential nutrition and anchorage to the teeth. Therefore, when they recede, they will no longer be able to perform this crucial role as your gums shrink over time.
If your gum recession issue has caused periodontal pockets, more germs and bacteria will make these gaps their home, eventually leading to tooth loss.
How to Prepare for the Pinhole Surgical Technique
For your dentist to develop a precise treatment for your unique issue, he/she could require additional details about your unique dental issue. Before your PST treatment, your dentist will require you to schedule pre-treatment appointments that allow him/her to perform the following crucial procedures:
Conduct a Thorough Physical Examination
Before your dentist recommends the pinhole technique, he/she will physically assess and examine your gum health. This initial step is vital because it helps your dentist precisely diagnose your gum health issue and determine its severity. Through this physical examination, your dentist could detect symptoms you are unaware of.
For example, if the physical exam reveals the presence of internal cavities, your dentist will recommend fixing your gum recession issue to prevent more dental health issues. During this examination, the dentist will use special dental tools to softly touch the affected gum tissues to determine whether you have sensitivity issues or pus pockets.
If these gentle touches make you uncomfortable during this examination process, you should inform your dentist to adjust his/her approach accordingly.
Provide Your Medical History
By keenly reviewing your medical records, your dentist can determine the cause of the gum health issue. This information also helps your dentist determine the appropriate treatment plan. If you had a periodontal problem in the past, you should inform your periodontist or dentist about it and the specific treatment you received.
Then your dentist will determine whether to repeat the same treatment or use the pinhole technique as a separate treatment. If your dentist recommends medication, you should inform him/her of any medicine-related allergy you have.
Sharing this information with your dentist can lessen the risk of adverse allergic reactions when you combine different medications.
Obtain the Necessary Pre-Procedural Care
Before your dentist schedules a PST treatment appointment, he/she will recommend undergoing treatment for any underlying dental and oral health issues, like cavities or decay. Pre-procedure treatment is vital because it protects the gumline from possible infections and any other problems that could affect the effectiveness and success of the pinhole technique.
What to Expect During the PST Procedure
Depending on the extent of your gum problem and the number of gum areas that require rejuvenation, the pinhole technique will take anywhere from thirty to ninety minutes. Your dentist will begin the procedure by numbing the target areas of your gums to minimize discomfort during the procedure.
Depending on the agreed-upon treatment plan, your dentist could also place you under sedation using nitrous oxide. Once your gums are numbed, your dentist will create a tiny hole in your receding gums. After the dentist creates the pinhole, he/she will insert a specialized instrument into this hole.
Once your dentist pushes your gum into the ideal position, he/she will insert collagen strips into the created pinhole in your gums. These collagen strips are crucial because they create new tissue that will eventually hold your gums in their ideal position and help keep them stable in a minimally invasive manner.
Generally speaking, the pinhole technique requires competence to avoid injuring your delicate gum tissues, meaning the dentist you will choose for the procedure should be well-trained and seasoned.
Post-Treatment Care Tips
Once your dentist completes the PST treatment, he/she will give you instructions and tips on how to care for your mouth and accelerate the healing process. For instance, your dentist or periodontist will recommend the following tips to protect your oral health and accelerate your healing process:
- Avoiding certain habits like smoking and aggressive teeth brushing
- Switching to a soft-bristled toothbrush
- Eating nutrient-rich-foods
- Taking certain prescribed antibiotics
- Practicing excellent oral care habits, like brushing and flossing your teeth at least twice daily, and scheduling bi-annual dental appointments with your dentist
- Using antibacterial mouthwash to rinse your mouth
- Avoiding chewing gum for at least two weeks
Fortunately, your healing after the PST treatment will only take a few days or a week. Generally, you can resume your usual activities within 24-48 hours after the treatment. If your dentist recommends a follow-up appointment, you should avail yourself of it to allow your dentist to monitor your treatment progress.
Factors That Could Influence the Cost of Your Pinhole Surgical Technique Treatment
Generally, the PST will cost less than traditional gum grafting treatment because your dentist does not have to perform an extra surgery to harvest graft tissues from the roof of your mouth. How much you will pay for your pinhole treatment will typically depend on the following factors:
- Severity of your gum recession issue
- The expertise and experience of your periodontist
- Your periodontist’s clinic location
- The number of your affected teeth
- Whether you have insurance coverage
Before your PST procedure, you should discuss the possible cost with your dentist or periodontist to make the necessary arrangements ahead of time. If you have insurance coverage, you should inform your dentist, and he/she will talk with your insurer to determine whether they will cover the full or partial cost of the treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Pinhole Surgical Technique
Having questions before your PST treatment is natural and can help you understand what to anticipate during the procedure. To that end, here are some of the common questions most people ask about PST:
How Long Will the Results of the Pinhole Treatment Last?
With proper care, the results of your PST treatment could be long-lasting. Maintaining top-notch oral and dental healthcare is vital for long-lasting results. Routine dental appointments with your dentist can also go a long way in preserving your dental and gum health.
Am I an Excellent Candidate for the Pinhole Technique?
Unfortunately, not every person is an excellent candidate for the PST treatment. If you have severe gum disease, your periodontist could recommend a different treatment, like flap surgery, to manage your condition. Generally, you should have sufficient and healthy gum tissue for the dentist to recommend this treatment.
Is the Pinhole Technique Worth It?
If you are eligible, undergoing pinhole PST treatment for your unique gum recession issue is an option worth considering because it offers numerous benefits, such as:
- Faster recovery time
- You will experience fewer or no complications
- Minimal discomfort during the procedure
Find a Hawthorne Dentist Near Me
If you have noticed signs of gum recession, waiting for your gums to reattach naturally is not advisable. You should consult a trustworthy dentist to receive appropriate care as soon as you notice these symptoms.
If you are looking for a reliable dentist for pinhole gum rejuvenation or the pinhole surgical technique, look no further than The Hawthorne Dentist. Our reputable and experienced periodontists are dedicated to providing quality oral care and treatment options tailored to your unique needs. We invite you to call us at 310-775-2557 to schedule your consultation with our credible dentists today.
