How Pinhole Gum Rejuvenation Works

While keeping your teeth clean, healthy, and trouble-free is the main focus of dental care, healthy gums are an important part of the natural system. When gum disease takes hold, the very foundations that support your teeth are at risk. 

Left untreated, gingivitis and periodontitis can cause receding gums. It’s common for gums to recede as you get older, but gum disease can accelerate the issue, and if not corrected, gum recession could lead to tooth loss. 

Pinhole gum rejuvenation is a minimally invasive form of treatment that replaces gum grafts as a way to reverse receding gums. Dr. Lana Rozenberg recommends pinhole gum rejuvenation to her patients at Rozenberg Dental NYC. Here’s what you need to know.

The importance of healthy gums

With a snug fit around the base of a tooth’s crown, your gums form a barrier that prevents decay-causing bacteria and debris from coming in contact with the roots of your teeth.

When plaque and tartar build up, they can cause irritated and swollen gums that pull away from your teeth, creating pockets where bacteria can grow and multiply. These symptoms of periodontal disease can eventually cause your gums to recede as the tissue dies.

Receding gums expose more of your tooth’s surface to harmful bacteria, leading to complex problems including cavities below your gum line.

Gum disease isn’t the only factor that causes your gums to wear away. Over-brushing, natural aging, and misaligned bite issues can also contribute. Regardless of the underlying cause, gum tissue that recedes won’t grow back on its own.

Traditional techniques to restore gum tissue use a gum grafting process, which can be painful and has a low success rate. The pinhole technique creates a tiny hole used to reposition your gum tissue, as well as collagen strips to hold the gum in place as the tissue heals.

The advantages of the pinhole approach

Traditional gum grafts limit the number of teeth that can be treated at one time. Pinhole rejuvenation has no such limitation, so all of your teeth can be addressed in fewer appointments. Traditional grafts can take up to a year to fully heal, while the pinhole technique takes a fraction of that time.

Other advantages for the pinhole approach include reduced postoperative pain and no stitches. It’s quickly becoming the standard of care for restoring gum health and preventing further gum loss.

Are you a candidate? 

If you have active periodontal disease, that must be treated first so you’re free of inflammation or active disease prior to your pinhole procedure. Dr. Rozenberg can advise you on the suitability of the pinhole approach and any additional work necessary after a dental examination. If gum disease has progressed to the point of bone loss, damage may already be too great to provide the necessary support.

In many cases, though, gum recession can be stopped and repaired. Contact Rozenberg Dental NYC by phone or online to schedule your initial consultation. There’s no substitute for a natural smile, so book your appointment today.