Treating Gum Recession

Medically Reviewed by Sam Muslin, DDS, MAGD | Last Updated on 08/16/2022

Suffering with gum recession or gum loss can mean everything from tooth sensitivity, to tooth loss, to an unattractive or aging smile. As the root of the tooth becomes exposed you can begin to experience painful symptoms such as sensitivity to hot and cold. You may also notice that the root of your tooth is much darker and more yellow than your real tooth, which can make you feel self-conscious about your smile. Gum recessions also age your face and smile leaving you looking much older than you should.

What Causes Severe Gum Recession?

It doesn’t really matter if the source of your gum loss is from over brushing, periodontal disease, a bad bite, older dental work, bad hygiene habits, or even the natural aging process because the results are the same. These gum recessions can lead to loose or mobile teeth and eventually tooth loss. As such it is very important to not only resolve the immediate gum problem but to also discover the source of the gum loss.

In the past, many patients avoided addressing their gum loss because of the painful gum grafting surgeries that they were facing. Those of us who had severe gum recessions might have even been looking at multiple surgeries stretched out over several months all of which required extensive healing time. These traditional gum recession treatments involved the use of donor tissue or soft tissue grafts that would be sutured into place to rebuild the gum-line. While these traditional grafting treatments have proven effective in some cases, the pain, healing time, and duration was just not realistic for many people.

Why do I have Gum Recession?

Her old dentistry was no longer fitting correctly and it was causing her gums to look even worse. She needed to have her old dentistry replaced not only to improve the health of her gums but also to improve the health of her entire body. Now she has a beautiful smile and a younger appearance.

In order to have results that last, a good dentist or periodontist must discover why the gum loss is occurring in the first place. It may be as simple as improving your at home hygiene techniques or treating infected gums with a localized medication but often times the problem is more complex.

As we age, our bite (which is literally the way that our teeth come together or meet) shifts and changes over the years. This can cause an unbalanced bite where certain teeth no longer meet properly and as a result gum loss can occur. The only way to improve the odds of having a successful gum rejuvenation procedure is to correct the unbalanced bite at the same time.

Correcting an unbalanced bite can be done totally non-invasively so that none of your teeth are ground down or drilled by using VENLAY^® restorations and Face Lift Dentistry^®.

Dr. Muslin has found that gum recession can also be treated non-surgically without the Pinhole Gum Surgery with his porcelain method. The health benefits of having your bite corrected and idealized with the Face Lift Dentistry^® method are not just limited to improving your gum health and gum loss.

Patients are experiencing everything from a more comfortable TMJ and efficient chewing to eliminating insomnia so that they can sleep soundly. There is so much more to learn about having a healthy bite so that you can live longer and look younger naturally!

Can Braces Cause Gum Recession?

Yes because braces can physically move the roots of the teeth towards the outside of the jaw bone. When the roots of the teeth are too close to the outside the jaw, the jaw bone and the gum recede until there is a biological balance with enough bone covering the lower part of the roots of the teeth to provide a blood supply to the gum. Patient's cause gum recession when they don't wear their retainers causing the teeth to shift and the bite to worsen.

Do Crowns Cause Gum Recession?

Yes and No. If the cavity goes below the gum and the dentist places a crown under the gum to seal the tooth, the gum could recede. The decay caused the recession and not the crown and not the dentist. But, if the dentist grinds too much tooth unnecessarily under the gum and is too aggressive packing the cord around the tooth, recession can also happen from the trauma caused by the dentist. Generally, if the patient has recession in other areas of the mouth, the crown did not cause the recession.

Can Flossing Or Brushing Too Hard Cause Receding Gums?

Most of the time recession was cause by the position of the root in relation to the jaw bone and also from the trauma of bad bites. Receding gums can be caused by brushing and flossing with too much force but the patient has to be a very rough and an aggressive brusher for years. When patients have an overbite, a bad bite or under bite, receding gums occur due to bite trauma. Most of the time, recession is caused by the position of the tooth being to close to the outside of the jawbone combined with a bad bite.

Can Teeth Whitening Cause Gum Recession?

Yes if the bleaching tray rubs against the gum, the teeth whitening tray can physically push the gum down. Also, the bleaching agent found in most drug stores, tends to be on the harsh side which can literally burn the gum from the chemistry in the bleaching agents. For most patients, bleaching is not a good idea because of my concern with throat problems could arise later in life from the bleaching agents going down the patient's throat. The dental office tray system is the best because very little bleeching material is required and it is mostly contained in the tray. The tray type bleeching agent can be far more effective because it baths the entire tooth. Additionally, bleeching agents in the dental office do not need to be as harsh because the dentist can give the patient the right material for them rather than the "one chemical fits all" approach in stores.

Can Gum Recession Be Successfully Reversed?

Not in most instances because there needs to be a blood supply to the gum. When gingival graphs are placed over the root of the tooth without bone below the graft, the graft will recede. The surgical method is a good idea but with this method, the root of the tooth is ground flat to help the gum get blood flow. Some dentists have found that the gum recedes again after this method and some have gotten improved coverage but not a reversal.

Is Gum Recession Age Related?

Yes because the older we get, the greater amount of stress put on the teeth and the gums. Many older patients have the "long in the tooth" appearance. For 98% of the patients, gum recession is generally not a big health risk and there are wonderful ways to protect the exposed root surfaces with bonding composite or an even better method is with the non-invasive, no prep VENLAY^® restorations and bite correction. When the bite is corrected and when the roots are covered with high tech porcelain, the gum can partially recover.

How Can I Stop Gum Recession?

Get the best possible bite customized to your facial structures and TMJ. If roots are already exposed, protect the exposed roots from abrasion and erosion with bonding composite or with a non-invasive porcelain method. Getting the bite corrected also helps balance the forces on the teeth.

What Is The Best Gum Recession Treatment?

The best gum recession treatment is to reduce the trauma from a bad bite and protect the exposed root surfaces. By optimizing the bite to the TMJ and facial structures, trauma to the teeth is reduced. But, it is vital that this treatment is done with a no tooth prep method. Never let a dentist grind down your teeth when more advanced treatment is possible. For patients with good bites, nice white teeth, few dental restorations, minimal abrasion, not enough attached gingiva and minimal root erosion, gum grafts could be helpful. For patients with crooked teeth, overbites, under bites, worn down teeth from clenching and grinding, tetracycline stained teeth, TMJ problems and bad porcelain veneers or bad porcelain crowns, the Face Lift Dentistry^® bite correction method combined the non-invasive VENLAY^® restorations is the best possible treatment available today.

Patient Testimonial

Watch this video testimonial on the benefits of Dr. Sam Muslin's Face Lift Dentistry^® to hear about one patient’s experience!

Call to speak with one of the treatment coordinators at (310) 829 6796 to schedule appointments, discuss your treatment options etc.