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At Boca Perio Implants, we are dedicated to helping you achieve a confident and beautiful smile. Our skilled team specializes in the art of root coverage1, a procedure that not only restores the functional and aesthetic properties of your teeth but also significantly improves your overall dental health and quality of life.
Our root coverage procedure focuses on addressing gum recession and restoring the health and aesthetics of your smile, and can also address root sensitivity. By meticulously covering the exposed roots and enhancing the surrounding gum tissue, we can effectively reverse the effects of gum recession and provide lasting results. Unlike root planing, which involves a different treatment process, root coverage specifically targets the aesthetic and functional aspects of your teeth.
During the treatment, our experienced periodontists carefully make a small incision in the gum tissue to expose the area that requires coverage. A thin layer of tissue sourced from another part of your mouth is delicately placed over the exposed area. This specialized technique ensures seamless integration with the existing gum tissue, effectively covering any exposed roots and providing natural-looking results.
We understand the importance of a beautiful smile and therefore utilize the industry’s highest-quality materials and standards of care. Thus, you can relax knowing that you are in safe hands!
Candidates for root coverage must meet certain criteria to ensure successful outcomes. Firstly, it is important to have healthy soft tissue surrounding the affected tooth or teeth, free from inflammation, infection, or signs of gum disease. The tooth itself should be in good health, without decay or structural damage.
Maintaining good oral hygiene practices, including regular brushing, flossing, and dental check-ups, is essential. Candidates should also be free from any signs or symptoms of periodontal disease. Additionally, sufficient alveolar bone2 support at the base of the affected area is necessary for long-term stability and optimal results. By carefully evaluating these factors, our team ensures that this treatment is suitable and personalized for each candidate’s specific needs and goals.
Root coverage offers significant benefits, improving both your oral health and the aesthetics of your smile:
Reduced Sensitivity: Exposed tooth roots can cause discomfort and sensitivity. Root coverage protects the delicate root surfaces, allowing you to enjoy hot or cold foods without pain.
Improved Appearance: Gum recession can affect the aesthetics of your smile, making your teeth appear longer and causing an uneven gum line. Root coverage restores the natural contour of your gums, enhancing the overall appearance of your smile.
Protection Against Periodontal Disease: Gum recession creates pockets where bacteria can thrive, increasing the risk of periodontal disease. By covering the exposed roots, root coverage minimizes bacterial infection and promotes optimal gum health, safeguarding against gum disease.
Reduced Gum Recession: Root coverage addresses the underlying cause of gum recession, preventing further progression and protecting your gums from future damage. This procedure helps maintain healthy gum tissue and preserves the stability of your teeth.
With over 30 years of experience and a prestigious Harvard education, Dr. Leichter is a recognized authority in the field of periodontology. He performs advanced root coverage procedures that deliver optimal dental health outcomes. Highly esteemed by his peers, Dr. Leichter is known for his compassionate approach to patient care and unwavering commitment to excellence. To benefit from his expertise, contact Boca Perio Implants and book your appointment today!
What is root coverage?
Root coverage is a dental procedure in which healthy gum tissue is used to cover any exposed roots of the teeth. This procedure helps restore the natural beauty of the smile, as well as prevent further progression of gum recession and potential tooth decay. The goal of Dr. Leichter’s treatment is to restore the gum line, enhance the smile and improve overall health.
How is gum recession width measured?
Gum recession width is measured by measuring how much-exposed root surface there is on each tooth. Typically three millimeters or less on each side are considered a healthy range. It’s important to note that width alone isn’t always an indicator for treatment. If you have severe bone loss due to gum disease, then deeper pockets may need to be addressed before width measurements become relevant.
What are the different procedure options for root coverage?
Before choosing the best treatment option for gum recession, it is important to consider factors such as the size and number of recession defects present, the amount and quality of keratinized tissues available, and the esthetic and functional needs of the patient. Methods include[1]: free gingival autograft, subepithelial connective tissue graft, lateral repositioned flap, double papilla flap, semilunar flap, coronally advanced flap, guided tissue regeneration (GTR), tunnel technique, and pinhole technique.
How does a free gingival graft work?
A free gingival graft works by removing a thin layer of tissue from one area in your mouth (usually from inside the cheek or palate) and using it to replace lost or damaged tissue in another area – most often around teeth with large amounts of gum recession. The advantage of this procedure is the use of existing tissues from another part of your mouth, making recovery quicker and easier.
Do root coverage surgeries eliminate hypersensitivity?
Root coverage surgeries can significantly help reduce instances of hypersensitivity due to their ability to cover exposed roots. Even though it may not fully eliminate hypersensitivity as a symptom if the underlying causes still exist.
1 National Library of Medicine. Leandro Chambrone, Maria Aparecida Salinas Ortega, Flávia Sukekava, Roberto Rotundo, Zamira Kalemaj, Jacopo Buti, and Giovan Paolo Pini Prato. Root coverage procedures for treating localised and multiple recession‐type defects. Available: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6517255/.
2 American Dental Association. Anatomy of a Tooth. Available: https://www.mouthhealthy.org/all-topics-a-z/tooth.
3 DianaMostafa and Nikhat Fatima. “Gingival Recession And Root Coverage Up To Date, A Literature Review”. Available: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772559621000080#bib0030.
Contact Boca Perio Implants, committed to serve all communities around West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Pompano Beach, Lake Worth, Boynton Beach and Delray Beach!
Dr. Julian C. Leichter is a Harvard Fellow, and Boca Raton’s trusted leader in periodontics with more than 40 years of experience in natural tooth preservation, and implant preservation. His periodontal techniques continue to nurture many healthy smiles throughout Florida, and beyond.
