Hi everybody! Today’s blog is about another very important clinical complaint which patients come
to us with, namely, receding gums!
There could be many reasons for this gum recession/ gingival recession as we call it, as well as its
implications. It can be an aesthetic issue and secondly, it could also lead to functional problems.
Because of the receding gums, the tooth may progressively become weak and the patient may even
lose their teeth. Gums can recede around a single tooth or involve multiple teeth. It is very common
in the upper and lower front teeth which is of immediate concern to the patient, because it is within
the visible/esthetic spectrum.
What are the reasons for gum recession?
- The most common reason is the position of the tooth. When the tooth is
placed in front, towards the lip/ cheek and not in alignment with the other teeth, the bone
which is supporting the particular tooth becomes very thin. So, the gum which is around the
tooth also slowly starts receding . - Aggressive brushing or hard brushing for a long time.
- Gum disease itself could be a reason for the gum recession.
- Another reason could be a condition called as trauma from occlusion where the forces on
your teeth and bone are more than what can be tolerated. This leads to a damage inflicted
on the underlying bone as well as gums also leading to this gum recession.
How to manage this gum recession?
There are two perspectives with which we treat gum recession.
i. Cosmetic
ii. Functional
Cosmetic procedures involves a minor surgical procedure to grow back new gum tissues.
Functionally, we look for any signs of gum disease that could cause the recession which will
make the new gum grow back there!
Minor orthodontic tooth movement with braces to move the tooth back into its position.
If it’s due to some kind of very heavy forces as I told you from trauma from occlusion, we
eliminate the heavy forces by simple grinding of teeth.
When you have a gum recession please do not ignore it come to us immediately.
We will restore the function as well as aesthetics of your receding gum and tooth. Ignoring gum recession
may even lead to loss of the tooth.
Don’t forget to visit your dentist once in six months to rule out all your dental problems in the very
initial stages!