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The dentists at Boca Perio Implants have had extensive training and experience in root coverage1. The procedure helps restore the functional and esthetic properties of the affected teeth and improves your quality of life through improved dental health.
When the gum has receded beyond the crown, and the root is showing, it is often desirable to re-cover the root surface. This is primarily done for cosmetics, but also if there is root sensitivity. There may also be a lack of attached (hard) gum tissue, and our root coverage surgery is designed to correct that problem at the same time.
During your root coverage treatment, a small incision will be made in the gum tissue to expose the area needing coverage. A thin layer of tissue from another part of the mouth is then placed over the exposed area, fusing with existing gum tissue and covering any exposed roots.
We understand the importance of a beautiful smile and therefore utilize the industry’s highest-quality materials and standards of care. Thus, you can relax knowing that you are in safe hands!
Candidates for root coverage must generally have healthy soft tissue and the tooth must also be healthy, with no decay or trauma affecting the structure and position of the tooth. Additionally, you must demonstrate good oral hygiene, free from any periodontal disease. Furthermore, to ensure a satisfactory outcome, there should be enough alveolar bone2 support remaining at the base of the affected area to provide stability and maintain long-term results.
Root coverage can help reduce sensitivity, improve appearance, protect against periodontal disease, and reduce recession. After healing is complete, patients will have a healthier smile that lasts for many years!
A Harvard graduate with more than 30 years of experience, Dr. Leichter is an acknowledged expert in periodontology and offers advanced root coverage procedures for optimal dental health outcomes. He is also highly respected among his peers and renowned for his compassionate patient care and commitment to excellence. Contact his Boca Perio Implants office to book your appointment today!
What is root coverage?
Root coverage is a dental procedure in which healthy gum tissue is used to cover any exposed roots of the teeth. This procedure helps restore the natural beauty of the smile, as well as prevent further progression of gum recession and potential tooth decay. The goal of Dr. Leichter’s root coverage treatment is to restore the gum line, enhance the smile and improve overall health.
How is gum recession width measured?
Gum recession width is measured by measuring how much exposed root surface there is on each tooth. Typically three millimeters or less on each side are considered a healthy range. It’s important to note that width alone isn’t always an indicator for treatment. If you have severe bone loss due to gum disease, then deeper pockets may need to be addressed before width measurements become relevant.
What are the different procedure options for root coverage?
Before choosing the best treatment option for gum recession, it is important to consider factors such as the size and number of recession defects present, the amount and quality of keratinized tissues available, and the esthetic and functional needs of the patient. Root coverage methods include3: free gingival autograft, subepithelial connective tissue graft, lateral repositioned flap, double papilla flap, semilunar flap, coronally advanced flap, guided tissue regeneration (GTR), tunnel technique, and pinhole technique.
How does a free gingival graft work?
A free gingival graft works by removing a thin layer of tissue from one area in your mouth (usually from inside the cheek or palate) and using it to replace lost or damaged tissue in another area – most often around teeth with large amounts of gum recession. The advantage of this procedure is the use of existing tissues from another part of your mouth, making recovery quicker and easier.
Do root coverage surgeries eliminate hypersensitivity?
Root coverage surgeries can significantly help reduce instances of hypersensitivity due to their ability to cover exposed roots. Even though it may not fully eliminate hypersensitivity as a symptom if the underlying causes still exist.
1 National Library of Medicine. Leandro Chambrone, Maria Aparecida Salinas Ortega, Flávia Sukekava, Roberto Rotundo, Zamira Kalemaj, Jacopo Buti, and Giovan Paolo Pini Prato. Root coverage procedures for treating localised and multiple recession‐type defects. Available: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6517255/.
2 American Dental Association. Anatomy of a Tooth. Available: https://www.mouthhealthy.org/all-topics-a-z/tooth.
3 DianaMostafa and Nikhat Fatima. “Gingival Recession And Root Coverage Up To Date, A Literature Review”. Available: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772559621000080#bib0030.
Contact Boca Perio Implants, committed to serve all communities around West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Pompano Beach, Lake Worth, Boynton Beach and Delray Beach!
Dr. Julian C. Leichter is a Harvard Fellow, and Boca Raton’s trusted leader in periodontics with more than 40 years of experience in natural tooth preservation, and implant preservation. His periodontal techniques continue to nurture many healthy smiles throughout Florida, and beyond.
