If you have recession or thin gum tissue then you may notice that your teeth appear “longer” than they used to but the teeth aren’t growing more, really what’s happening is you are losing gum tissue over time. This may also be something that your dentist points out to you. The gums serve to protect your teeth and help to anchor them in the jaw. So if you have recession you likely need to have gum grafting (also know as soft tissue grafting) performed to restore the gum tissue and optimize your oral health.

When you have a consult, Dr. Lai will perform a comprehensive exam to assess your oral health and which kind of grafting is best in your case. Usually recession of the gums does not cause pain but may cause sensitivity. It is important to know that the lack of symptoms does not mean lack of disease.

Some grafting procedures are more comfortable and more esthetic than other techniques and much of this will depend on how much tissue you still have. So the sooner you get help the more Dr. Lai can do to get you the best results. Call for a consult today at any one of our Colorado dental offices.

Before: Notice teeth (second and third from the left) has yellowish roots showing and long appearance.

After: Gum grafting completed on the second and third teeth. The roots are covered and the teeth are better protected.