What is Gum Recession?
Gum recession is a common dental condition affecting millions of Americans of all ages. Causes can vary, but common reasons why gums may begin to pull away from the teeth include:
- Poor oral care
- Tobacco usage
- Aggressive brushing
- Infection
- Grinding/clenching teeth
While minor recession may not require any special attention, significant recession may expose tooth roots and other sensitive tissue below the gums, leaving you vulnerable to serious infection and even tooth loss.
Traditional methods to combat gum recession include invasive procedures like scaling and root planing. While these methods are safe and effective, there exists a less invasive solution involving relatively little discomfort and a much faster recovery.
A Faster, More Comfortable Solution to Receding Gums
The pinhole surgical technique (also known as pinhole gum rejuvenation) is a revolutionary alternative to gum grafting procedures.
Unlike traditional gum surgery, this minimally-invasive technique does not involve any cutting, suturing, or postoperative discomfort. Instead, Dr. Anzalon makes small “pinholes” in the gum tissue into which a specialized dental tool is inserted to manipulate the tissue, gradually shifting it into the desired position on the teeth to cover any exposed tooth roots. The result is an effective reversal of the gum recession.
Unlike gum grafting, pinhole surgery can be performed on up to 14 teeth at once, without any significant swelling, bleeding, or discomfort. Pinhole surgery also boasts an immediate recovery time of less than 24-hours.
The Benefits of Minimally Invasive Surgery for Receding Gums
Comfortable and Effective
While relatively new, this revolutionary gum recession treatment has been tested extensively and has shown consistently stable results comparable with those seen in more conventional gum surgical procedures. Dr. Anzalone is usually able to complete this procedure in under two hours with very little pain or discomfort.
Minimally Invasive
Traditional gum surgical procedures, like gum grafting, treat gum recession by grafting gum tissue with tissue taken from other parts of the mouth. While effective, this method is highly invasive, and usually requires one to two weeks of recovery. The pinhole method is much less invasive and doesn’t require any donor tissue.
Shorter Recovery Time
As a result of this method’s minimally invasive nature, recovery time is much shorter with little to no bleeding, swelling, or discomfort. Recovery time is also much faster than traditional methods. While it can take up to two weeks to recover from a gum graft, patients are usually able to resume normal activities the day after their pinhole procedure.
The Cost of Pinhole Surgery in Monroe
Patients should expect to pay between $2,000 and $4,000 per quadrant of the jaw that requires the pinhole procedure (upper left, lower left, and so on).
With that in mind, most private insurance plans do provide majority or full coverage for this procedure, as it is a long-term solution and has displayed great promise to permanently rectify a dangerous condition.
Remember, no one can give you an accurate estimate for your dental procedure online. To get an exact quote, you’ll need to call or contact our periodontic clinic in Monroe online to schedule a consultation.
Contact us today
to schedule an initial consultation & exam.
Your consultation will include an examination of everything from your teeth, gums and soft tissues to the shape and condition of your bite. Generally, we want to see how your whole mouth looks and functions. Before we plan your treatment we want to know everything about the health and aesthetic of your smile, and, most importantly, what you want to achieve so we can help you get there.
Frequently Asked Questions
The pinhole technique is so sought after because it is relatively painless, especially when compared to more traditional procedures. It doesn’t require cutting or sutures, and reduces the risk of other side effects developing in the future while immediately improving the smile.
If patients adopt proper oral care habits at home, the results of this procedure are typically long lasting. However, other factors such as aging, genetic predisposition, lifestyle habits, and aggressive brushing can trigger receding gums to return.
Gum disease and receding gums are two different things. While pinhole treatment cures the impacts of gum disease (receding gums), the patient will undergo different treatment methods to first remedy the infection itself and then fully be able to restore the look and function of their smile through this type of procedure.
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