Almost 85% of adults 65 and older will experience gingivitis. Gingivitis occurs when an individual’s gum starts to recede, exposing the tooth nerves. Once the never is exposed, it can lead to sensitivity to hot and cold foods. If left untreated, it is likely to lead to tooth loss. Most dentists opt for a skin graft treatment which can be lengthy and painful. The Pinhole Surgical Technique (PST) is a new treatment that often takes just one visit and is much less painful.
What are the benefits of using the pinhole surgical technique for treating gum recession?
The main benefits of using this treatment are that it is less invasive than traditional treatments and there is less recovery time. In other words, it doesn’t require any incisions and the recovery time is minimal.
If you’re interested in learning more about this novel procedure below, we have answered the most common questions and pointed out the benefits of choosing it instead of using other traditional methods.
What is The Pinhole Surgical Technique?
PST is a minimally invasive treatment that shows almost immediately cosmetic improvement. There are no incisions needed which makes the healing time a lot shorter and the treatment less painful. This type of treatment is not as complicated as other forms and may be an excellent option for those with gingivitis.
How is (PST) Different Than Traditional Treatments?
Traditional gum grafting involves the use of donor tissues to graft the new tissue to the receding tissue. This type of grafting uses sutures to keep the tissues held together until healing is complete. It may also require multiple trips to the dentist and is more painful than PST.
PST uses a minimally invasive technique that requires no cutting, grafting, or suturing. Basically, the dentist will make a small hole in your gum tissue and then stretch it downward. Once the desired length is reached, collagen strips are placed in the pinhole to support the new tissue and cover the roots.
What Are the Advantages In The Pinhole Surgical Technique?
- The Pinhole Surgical Technique can target many areas of the mouth at once. Whereas using traditional methods only targets a small area of the mouth at a time, the patient has to take time to recover. There are times that conventional treatments can take up to a year to get all areas treated.
- PST uses your gum tissue instead of grafting tissue from your palate or other areas. The procedure is relatively simple. PST makes tiny pinholes in the areas that need to be treated. Then the gently insert special tools to stretch your gums to the desired length. This prevents sutures from being needed, significantly reducing recovery time.
- Due to not needing to have skin grafted over the receding gumlines using PST has a much quicker healing time. Traditional methods can take up to three weeks to recover. Many times they will need to use gauze to help slow the bleeding. It’s also unlikely that you’ll be able to eat solid food the first few days. With PST, you’ll likely be able to eat normally the same day.
- There are many different types of gum recession that helps to prevent it from getting worse. Not all of them have natural-looking results. This is because the majority of them use tissue that is obtained by other areas of the mouth. With PST, it uses your gum tissues resulting in natural results.
Additional Questions
Who Is an Ideal Candidate For PST?
The ideal candidate for The Pinhole Surgical Technique is bothered by the appearance of their receding gums and has tooth sensitivity. You must have receding gums but not yet have gum disease. Most of the time, when you have gum disease, you’ll need to see a specialist to keep it from becoming worse. To be a candidate for PST, you’ll either need to be a non-smoker or be willing to quit. You’ll need to have enough gum tissue to stretch to the desired length.
How Successful is The Pinhole Surgical Technique?
PST has a success rate of over 90%. A contributor to this high success rate is attributed to how well the patients take care of their oral hygiene after treatment. In addition to the success rate, patients are also delighted with the results. Part of the reason for this is due to how short the recovery time is and the immediate results.
Pinhole Surgical Technique in Commerce Twp
One of the most common questions that are asked about PST is how long the results will last. The one study that was conducted showed that the procedure lasted over nine years. If you are interested in learning more about this surgery, call or Commerce Twp Dental Office for more information. Dr Sedki has been improving smiles and dental health for 20 years and is trained, certified, and highly experienced in this innovative treatment to rejuvenate receding gums.
As a full-service dental clinic that meets the dental needs of the entire family, Sedki Dentistry is a top choice. Our services include cosmetic dentistry, dental treatments, children’s dentistry and more! Call to schedule your Free Dental Consultation today!