TL;DR
Gum recession means the gum line has moved down the tooth and left part of the root exposed. Gum disease, brushing too hard, grinding or clenching, thin gum tissue, tobacco and lip or tongue piercings are the usual causes. Exposed roots are sensitive and decay more easily. Lost gum does not grow back by itself, so the aim is to find the cause, stop it and protect the root, with tooth-colored bonding, crowns or gum grafting where needed. At Stone Falls Dental Care in O’Fallon, recession is measured at every exam so changes are caught early.
What is gum recession?
Gum recession is the loss of gum tissue at the edge of a tooth, so the gum line sits lower than it should and part of the root shows. It tends to happen slowly, over years, which is why many people first notice it as sensitivity or as a tooth that suddenly looks longer than its neighbors.
The root is not covered by enamel the way the crown of the tooth is. Its surface is softer, more sensitive to temperature and more prone to decay and wear. Recession also leaves less gum protecting the bone underneath, so it is worth catching early. A millimeter or two found at a routine exam is far simpler to manage than recession noticed only when a root has worn or decayed.
What causes gums to recede?
Gums recede for several reasons, and more than one is often at work. Finding the cause matters more than anything else, because treating the exposed root without addressing what exposed it simply lets the recession continue.
- Periodontal disease, which destroys the tissue and bone that support the gum
- Brushing too hard or with a stiff-bristled brush
- Grinding or clenching, which puts heavy force on the teeth
- Naturally thin gum tissue, which often runs in families
- Tobacco use of any kind
- Lip or tongue piercings that rub against the gum
- Teeth that sit outside the jawbone or are moved there during orthodontics
How do I know if my gums are receding?
The most common early sign is sensitivity to cold, sweet or brushing near the gumline, often on one or two teeth. You may notice that a tooth looks longer, that the gum edge has an uneven or notched outline, or that you can feel a small ridge where the enamel ends and the root begins.
Recession can also show as dark spaces between teeth near the gums or as a notch worn into the side of a tooth at the gumline. At each exam the gum position is measured as part of the periodontal chart, and our intraoral camera lets you see the area on screen and compare it from visit to visit.
Can receding gums grow back?
Receded gum tissue does not grow back on its own. The goals are to stop the recession from going further, protect the exposed root and, where it is needed, cover it again. Which of those applies depends on how much gum has been lost and why.
Mild recession often needs only a change in brushing, a softer brush and a sensitivity toothpaste. A notch worn at the gumline can be covered with tooth-colored composite bonding, which protects the root and eases sensitivity. Where gum tissue is thin or the root is badly exposed, a periodontist can graft tissue to cover it. When grinding is part of the cause, controlling the forces on the teeth protects the gums too.
How do we address recession at Stone Falls Dental Care?
We start by looking for the cause, because the right answer for recession from brushing is very different from the right answer for recession from gum disease or a heavy bite. Dr. Prane has completed the Dawson Academy’s core curriculum, whose teaching centers on how the teeth, jaw muscles and joints work together, so the bite gets a careful look alongside the gums.
When recession sits among worn or chipped front teeth, restoring them can be part of the plan. One case in our smile gallery shows stained, worn and chipped upper front teeth with recession, restored with eight all-porcelain crowns. Every case is different, and results vary from person to person.