Your gums are a vital part of your oral health system and need to be kept clean and free of disease. But oftentimes this is easier said than done! Maybe you indulge a little too much in sweets over the holidays, or you’ve been brushing too aggressively at night.
Whatever the case may be, your gums are now looking red and receded. In the past, a traditional gum graft may have been the best solution for recession, but now there’s a new tool in Dr. Matthew Huff’s arsenal: the Pinhole Surgical Technique.
What Is The Chao Pinhole Surgical Technique?
In the past, treating gum disease often required intervention or minor surgery, depending on the severity of the damage. Red, inflamed gums would have new tissue grafted over them to reduce recession, or patients would have to undergo root planing and scaling.
The Chao Pinhole Surgical Technique is a revolutionary, state-of-the-art alternative to treating gum recession. As the name suggests, all it takes is a tiny pinhole in gums to adjust the tissues and set you on the path to recovery.
There are no sutures and no stitches, with a much faster healing time. You could have this treatment done on your lunch break and be back at work in no time.
Dr. Matthew Huff has become certified through the Chao Pinhole Surgical Technique hands-on courses and is ready to help you achieve your dream smile again.
How It Works
A pinhole is inserted into the gums above the area of recession. Using a specialized tool, Dr. Matthew Huff gently tugs the gum tissue into the proper place. The tissue is malleable and you won’t feel any pain other than a slight pressure.
Once the gums are in position, tiny strips of collagen are inserted into the pinhole and packed into the tissue between the teeth. This prevents the gum tissue from receding again. Once complete, the patient is free to leave and the pinhole heals quickly overnight.
Benefits Of Pinhole Surgery
- Minimal Surgery: Pinhole Surgical Technique is incredibly simple, and the lack of sutures and stitches is appealing to patients.
- Complete in Minutes: Since the procedure is so simplistic it’s generally completed in little time. In less than an hour, you can have a restored smile with healthy-looking gums.
- Quick Recovery: Because the pinhole itself is so small, it’s not a surprise to find it closed and healed by the next morning. You can’t get that kind of recovery from a traditional gum graft.
- No Scarring: This could be considered the best advantage of the procedure! With such a small pinhole, it barely leaves a mark after it’s healed completely. A gum graft often leaves a slight scar due to the suturing, which can be obvious to the casual observer. Not so with the Pinhole Surgical Technique.
Keep in mind that the Pinhole Surgical Technique is not a cure-all for periodontal disease. Before a patient can qualify for this procedure, the area must be cleared of plaque and bacteria to prevent gum disease from relapsing.
The Risks Of Gum Recession
Now that you’ve seen the “what”, let’s get into “why” the Pinhole Surgical Technique is so important. Gum recession can be caused in a myriad of ways (see below), but it’s important to fix the issue before it becomes worse.
When gums recede, they pull away from the tooth, exposing the gums and the tooth root to bacterial infections and plaque buildup.
What Causes Gum Recession?
- Periodontal Disease: This is by far the most common cause of recession, as a side effect of inflamed gums.
- Aggressive Brushing: If you brush too hard or in incorrect patterns, it could lead to pushing the gum tissue away from the teeth.
- Poor Dental Care: Poor brushing or flossing can lead to a buildup of plaque in the teeth and gums, and can only be removed through a hygiene cleaning. If left untreated, this plaque can break down the gum tissues and cause them to recede.
- Lip or Tongue Piercings: Though rare, jewelry can rub or irritate the gums to a degree where the gums wear.
- Teeth Grinding/Clenching: Teeth grinding not only wears down your teeth but also puts pressure on your gums. The force exerted can cause the tissues to recede.
- Hormonal Changes: It’s normal for hormones to fluctuate during a woman’s lifetime, such as during puberty, pregnancy, or menopause. At these stages, gums can be more sensitive to infections and recession.
- Teeth Misalignment: When your teeth are crooked or misaligned, too much force on the gums and bones can cause the gums to recede.
Keep Your Body Healthy
Periodontal disease is one of the leading causes of gum recession. As the gums become more inflamed by the infection, they weaken and recede. While the Pinhole Surgical Technique can’t cure your periodontal disease, the treatment can go a long way to prevent it from relapsing.
This is good news for your body! It’s been debated whether or not gum disease is directly connected to heart attacks or stroke, but what can’t be disputed is that gum disease bacteria affects the body.
One University of Florida study found that the same bacteria that cause gum disease can increase cholesterol and inflammation in the heart and arteries. In recent years, the same bacteria has become linked to both esophageal and pancreatic cancer.
Can Pinhole Surgery Prevent Gum Disease?
The Pinhole Surgical Technique helps restore the shape of your gums, but it doesn’t cure your gums of disease. If you are interested in undergoing pinhole surgery, it’s important that you maintain good oral health habits. These include brushing and flossing daily and keeping an eye out for recurring symptoms.
There is a bit of good news. The Pinhole Surgical Technique can prevent gum disease bacteria from coming back. By restoring your gums to their proper shape and placement, you are essentially giving your smile a second line of defense against bacteria again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pinhole surgery is a minimally-invasive procedure with no sutures or stitches involved, so you shouldn’t feel any pain during treatment. You may experience some mild discomfort after the procedure, but this will fade quickly.
Unlike traditional gum surgery, the pinhole technique allows you to recover very quickly and resume normal activities the next day.
Since the procedure is simple and only involves creating a minuscule hole in your gum tissue, it can typically be completed in less than an hour. This makes pinhole surgery a much faster treatment for gum disease than other options, so you can spend less time in our office and more time enjoying your day.
Pinhole surgery is a permanent solution to gum recession. Though some patients may see slight changes in their gums over time, most patients will enjoy healthy gums for life if they practice excellent oral hygiene. If you want your results to last, make sure to brush and floss every day in addition to visiting your dentist every six months.