The gums, or gingivae, are the pink tissues in the mouth that meet the neck of the teeth. They are generally expected to be firmly attached to the jawbone and tightly cover each tooth’s root up and protect it.

Mild gingival recession or shrinkage can happen as part of a person’s normal ageing process. However, there are multiple occasions where a person can experience a severe loss of tissue in the gum exposing the fragile roots of the teeth to bacteria and plaque. There are multiple reasons why this can occur, including but not limited to: periodontal disease, aggressive brushing, poor habits (e.g. nail biting), tooth injury or trauma, orthodontic treatment, genetically-predetermined thin tissue type and aberrant frenal attachments (unfavourable muscle pull from lips).

Gum recession requires treatment if it is progressing or getting worse,  causing aesthetic concerns, resulting in pain or difficulties with eating or brushing, or causing tooth sensitivity that is not responding to conventional treatments.

The management of receding gums can vary depending on the reason for the development of the recession in the first instance. However, the general approach involves the placement of a gum graft, borrowed from the roof of the mouth, onto the exposed root area to allow for repair of the gum recession.

Talk to us today about managing your gum recession