Receding Gums: Can Pinhole Surgery Help?

Gingival recession 一 more commonly known as receding gums 一 happens when your gum tissue pulls away from the teeth. Receding gums can be a cosmetic concern, but more importantly, they can form deep pockets and even expose the roots of your teeth. 

Gum disease is notorious for causing gum recession, but it can be corrected with a surgical gum grafting procedure. Gum grafting can be a painful and lengthy procedure, but thankfully, it’s not your only option to treat receding gums. 

Dr. Afshin Vahadi and Dr. Vafa Mirshams are proud to offer the pinhole surgical technique, an innovative (and minimally invasive) treatment for receding gums. 

Here’s what you need to know about pinhole surgery at Lone Star Dental Care in Frisco, Texas.

What is pinhole surgery?

Pinhole gum rejuvenation is a minimally invasive procedure to correct gum recession and an alternative to traditional gum surgery. Traditional gum surgery relies on tissue grafts and invasive gum reshaping. But the pinhole technique eliminates the need for gum grafts and incisions. 

Instead of relying on long incisions, the pinhole technique requires an opening only the size of a pinhole, hence the name. During the procedure, our team creates a tiny “pinhole” just above your tooth (near the tooth root where the recession is present) and then uses specialized tools to reposition your gum tissue. Your gum tissue is secured in place with collagen strips. Thanks to these innovative techniques, there’s no need for stitching or cutting. 

The procedure takes approximately one to two hours, depending on how many areas need treatment. Multiple areas can be treated at the same time, eliminating the need for multiple visits.  

How does it help treat gum recession?

Pinhole surgery helps treat gum recession in two ways:

• Stretching your gum tissue toward the crown of the tooth
• The collagen strips used to secure your gum tissue in place also promote new tissue growth 

The collagen strips, which eliminate the need for uncomfortable stitches, are resorbable collagen membrane strips. Collagen membranes help regenerate gum tissue, which facilitates your healing process and promotes gum tissue attachment to the ideal location.

Benefits of pinhole surgery

When left untreated, gum recession increases your risk of bone decay and loose teeth. Pinhole surgery can help you avoid these unwanted complications while enhancing the look of your smile at the same time. When compared with traditional graft surgery, pinhole surgery:

• Can treat multiple teeth at one time
• Is less painful 
• Requires zero incisions or stitches
• Yields quicker recoveries 
• Leads to less bleeding and trauma (from incisions)
• Has a high success rate 

After your pinhole surgery, you can expect a relatively short recovery period. Without any sutures or incisions to care for, your gums heal quickly. Until the treated area heals, though, we ask that you refrain from brushing the area, which can aggravate delicate gum tissue. We provide specific instructions after your procedure. 

Pinhole surgery is a safe and effective option for restoring your gums to their proper location. You can extend the results of your pinhole surgery by maintaining a solid at-home oral care routine, scheduling regular dental check-ups, and avoiding all tobacco use.

What if you’re not a candidate for pinhole surgery?

Minimally invasive treatments are ideal when possible, but in some cases, the minimally invasive option just isn’t enough. If you’re not a candidate for the pinhole technique, you’re not out of options. We offer three different types of soft tissue grafts at Lone Star Dental.

If you have a receding gum line, treatment can help improve the look and health of your mouth. To find out if pinhole surgery is right for you, call us to set up a consultation. You can also use our online scheduling tool 24/7.