Here at Contemporary Dentistry and Implantology, we offer comprehensive services to repair and beautify your smile. That’s true regardless of your problem. One such service our patients have appreciated is the Chao Pinhole® Surgical Technique. You might have read a little about this if you took our quiz last month. Today, we want to go into more detail about this revolutionary technique that can correct gum recession without gum grafts.
If your gums are receding, understand that you don’t have to live with this condition any longer. And you don’t have to live with the pain of getting it corrected, either! We are one of the few dental practices in the state trained in this procedure. Schedule your consultation today by calling our Peabody, MA dentist office at 978-278-1760.
Understanding the Chao Pinhole Surgical Technique vs. Gum Grafts
Gum disease is the most common cause of gum recession. The infection destroys the gum tissue if it’s left untreated long enough. Other causes include genetics and rigorous tooth brushing. With gum disease treatment, we can help control the infection. With the pinhole technique, we can correct the gum recession that results.
So, what are the main differences between the pinhole technique and gum grafting, the traditional treatment for gum recession? Here are just five.
- Discomfort: Gum grafting involves taking tissue from elsewhere in your mouth, from a donor, or from a synthetic source and grafting it into the damaged area. Just that description might be enough to scare you away from getting the procedure done! We don’t think our patients have to go through that to get a healthier, more attractive smile. With the pinhole technique, we simply make a tiny pinhole and gently move your gums over the receded area.
- Sutures: There is no cutting involved with the pinhole technique, so there are no scalpels or sutures involved, either. This means less bleeding as well.
- Treatment time: The traditional surgical method can take as long as one hour or more per tooth. The Chao method can take as little as one hour for the whole mouth. In fact, this alternative to gum grafting is often called a lunchtime gum lift!
- Recovery: With no cutting and no donor tissue, the pinhole technique means a speedier recovery as well. And the recovery is often more comfortable. Patients can eat like normal soon after the procedure.
- Cosmetic benefits: Both methods can improve the appearance of your smile. Whereas gum grafting might take weeks, the Chao technique shows almost instant signs of a better smile.
Other Cosmetic Dental Procedures to Improve Your Gums
The pinhole technique is just one way we can improve your smile by improving the appearance of your gums. Here are a few other cosmetic dental procedures that can boost your smile.
- Gummy smile treatment: Perhaps you have the opposite problem – your gums cover too much of your teeth. We can help with that, too. Again, we ensure the procedure is as comfortable as possible using a laser.
- Veneers: If your gums are uneven and cause your teeth to look uneven, we have a quick, lasting solution. Dental veneers can make teeth look longer so gums look shorter. They usually take about two visits.
- Dental bonding: This can have the same effect as veneers, though it doesn’t last quite as long. Sometimes, we can even use bonding to help with gum recession. By placing it on a tooth near your gumline, we can protect your tooth root from decay. Tooth decay at the root is a common side effect of gum recession, which is one of the reasons it’s important to treat.
Many of our patients enjoy the Chao treatment as part of a complete smile makeover, too.
If you want to correct gum recession without gum grafts, consider the alternative. Consider the Chao Pinhole® technique at Contemporary Dentistry and Implantology. Call our Peabody, MA dentists today at 978-278-1760. If you prefer, request your appointment online.