From Receding Gums to Radiant Smiles: A Tale of Success

Figure 1. Badly receding gums on upper and lower front teeth

Figure 2. Recession covered by gum grafting (8 weeks after treatment)

Background Information

Patient Age: Arnold is a 27-year-old Asian male

Problem Presented: The patient presented with severe sensitivity on his front teeth to cold (especially ice cream). He wanted to cover up the exposed roots on his upper and lower front teeth so he could enjoy drinking cold drinks and ice cream again. He was even sensitive to cold air while he was skiing in the winter.

Diagnosis: This condition is related to Gingivitis of his upper and lower gums, which essentially means inflammation of the gums. When the gums get inflamed, they start to recede and follow the bone deterioration away from the teeth. This can eventually cause tooth loss.

Treatment Recommendations: Gum grafting procedure to cover up the exposed roots of the upper and lower front teeth.

Procedures Performed: Gum grafts are normally taken from the patient’s own roof of the mouth. Most people are afraid of this procedure because they think it would be uncomfortable. The reality is that the procedure is performed in our office using the Perio Asleep technique while the patient sleeps through the entire process. Later, the patient might feel as though they have a Pizza burn on the roof of their mouth. This sensation only lasts for about 3 days after treatment.

Outcome: The patient was very pleased that not only did the grafts take and cover his roots 100% as compared to when he first walked in, but he could enjoy all the things he could not before. He could drink cold beer, eat ice cream again and ski to his heart’s content throughout the winter months. He was very happy with the outcome.

Conclusion: This treatment is easy, predictable, and works very well, especially when it’s caught early. The longer one waits later in life, the more difficult it is to correct the problem. What made our services stand out for the patient and the referring dentist is that we exceeded the patient’s expectations with regard to the fact we covered all the roots with the grafting procedure. The dentist told me that he has never seen such natural-looking results for such a treatment. He was especially happy considering that the patient was his son!