Gingival recession, or receding gums, is a common problem for many people seeking dental services, particularly amongst senior citizens. Receding gums can cause pain, swelling, bleeding, bad breath, sensitive teeth, and even tooth loss. The solution to this problem for many years was a soft-tissue grafting procedure that can be both lengthy and painful.
Fortunately, advances in dental technology now allow the team at Dalton Dental to offer our patients a simpler and less painful procedure to correct gingival recession, known as the pinhole gum graft technique. This minimally invasive procedure shifts existing gum tissue into a healthier position using special tools…no sutures or scalpel necessary.
How the Pinhole Surgical Technique Works
When you receive the pinhole gum graft technique to correct your gingival recession, your dentist will begin by poking a hole into your receding gum tissue. Then they will place a special tool inside the pinhole in order to stretch the gum downward until it has reached an optimal position.
Instead of having to stitch your mouth back up like you would with a soft-tissue graft, your dentist only needs to insert a small collagen strip into the pinhole in order to keep it in place so that more healthy gum tissue can grow.
This technique is not only far less painful than soft-tissue grafting, it’s also a lot quicker. What might take several visits to the dentist with soft-tissue grafting can be done in one single visit with the pinhole gum graft technique.
Advantages of the Pinhole Gum Graft Technique
Here are some of the many benefits to choosing the pinhole gum graft technique over soft-tissue grafting to correct gingival receding.
Less Pain and Quicker Recovery
Because this procedure doesn’t require sections of your gum to be removed and replaced, it is far less painful and has a much shorter recovery period. A soft-tissue gum graft can take up to a month to recover from, while the pinhole procedure will take just a day or two.
Looks Natural and Lasts a Lifetime
Soft-tissue gum grafting can significantly change the look and feel of the patient’s gums, which can be very uncomfortable for some. The pinhole gum graft technique has a far more natural look because it uses the surrounding gum tissue in place of tissue from the palate or from a donor, and the procedure is permanent, meaning it can last a lifetime.
A Good Option for Those with Dental Anxiety
The idea of sutures and scalpels can be enough to make someone avoid the dentist altogether. The pinhole technique helps patients to avoid those things so that they can get the treatment that they need.
Learn more about gum grafting in our ‘Why are gum grafts necessary?‘ blog post!
