GUM RECESSION
Gum Recession
Recession exposes tooth roots, invites sensitivity, and quietly takes bone with it. Treated early, it can be corrected and often prevented from progressing.
Recession exposes tooth roots, invites sensitivity, and quietly takes bone with it. Treated early, it can be corrected and often prevented from progressing.
Gum recession gradually exposes the roots of your teeth, making the teeth look longer than they should. It can be an aesthetic worry, but there is often a bigger issue underneath, the gum level follows the level of the bone, so as your gums recede, the tooth is losing its supporting bone as well.
Recession has many causes. It can develop from abrasive brushing, genetics, previous orthodontic movement, gum disease, misaligned bites, or tobacco use. Whatever the trigger, recession tends to progress if left alone.
Because it happens slowly, many patients do not notice it until the root is already exposed and the tooth is vulnerable to sensitivity, decay, and further deterioration.
Identifying and correcting the cause is as important as treating the recession itself.
When plaque accumulates at the gum line, chronic inflammation breaks down the supporting tissues. Gum disease is one of the most common drivers of recession and must be treated first.
Over-brushing can damage gums just as effectively as too little brushing. Stiff-bristle brushes or heavy pressure can wear the gum away from the tooth over time.
An uneven bite places extra strain on specific teeth and their gums. Left uncorrected, that stress can lead to recession, bone loss, and eventually tooth loss.
Some patients simply have thinner gum tissue around their teeth. Genetic tissue biotype can make certain areas more prone to recession over a lifetime.
Both smoking and chewing tobacco irritate the gum tissue and impair healing, which accelerates recession and complicates treatment.
Sensitivity to hot and cold, longer-looking teeth, and visibly exposed roots are the most common signals patients notice. Any of them is a reason to have the site evaluated.
The most important thing patients often do not realize about recession is that the gum level follows the level of the bone. Watching the gumline recede is often the first outward sign that supporting bone is being lost as well, and that is why early treatment matters.
Each case is different. Treatment is tailored to the cause, the tissue biotype, and the number of sites involved.
We map every site of recession, assess tissue thickness, review your bite and hygiene habits, and identify the underlying cause. This is the plan-first, treat-second approach.
Whether the driver is periodontal disease, brushing habits, bite issues, or tobacco use, the underlying cause is addressed so recession does not simply return after treatment.
We select from a range of grafting approaches, connective tissue, free gingival, AlloDerm donor tissue, tunneling, and the VISTA approach, based on your tissue and goals.
Treatment is completed under local anesthesia with IV sedation available. Minimally invasive techniques are used whenever they are appropriate for your anatomy.
You leave with clear aftercare instructions, follow-up scheduling, and adjustments to daily hygiene so the correction holds long-term.
The best grafting result in the world will not last if the underlying cause continues. Gentle brushing technique, an appropriately soft toothbrush, and consistent cleanings are the baseline for maintaining the correction.
For patients with a thin tissue biotype or a history of recession, grafting to thicken the tissue often does more than restore coverage, it also lowers the risk of new recession in the future.
We are honored you have chosen us for your periodontal care. At Coastal Periodontics, we believe every patient is unique, not just in dental needs but in values, past experiences, and treatment goals. Our team listens first, then designs a collaborative treatment plan around what matters to you. We pride ourselves on providing a calm, welcoming environment where every detail is handled with compassion. Our approach is grounded in a simple ideology: it is not about a procedure, it is about a long-term relationship. We stay active in continued education and in the community we serve.
Next Step
A short evaluation will tell us what is driving it and which treatment fits best.