Being “long in the teeth” isn’t necessarily due to aging. Rather, gums can start to recede and pull away from the teeth due to things like aggressive brushing, existing periodontal disease, past trauma, or even bruxism (grinding.) When they do, it’s impossible to get the gums to grow back on their own. Instead, intervention such as a graft may be needed.
Category: Gum Recession
What are the risks of gum recession?
Food catching between your teeth. When there is no gingiva protecting the tooth structure, weaker root surfaces are more prone to problems like decay and sensitivity. Aesthetic challenges, especially if the recession is affecting a visible tooth toward the front of your smile can leave your teeth looking lopsided, uneven or discoloured.
What treatments are available?
There are a number of different approaches that a dentist can take to addressing receding gumlines. If the recession is very mild,an option may be to place a small amount of tooth colored composite (white bonding) over the area of the root that’s visible, simply for aesthetic purposes. More moderate to severe gum recession can compromise the health of a tooth. In such instances, a gum graft or pinhole type procedure may be best. These therapies aim to re-cover the