Gum Recession
Gum Recession is available at these locations:
Your gums wrap each tooth in a protective seal. Gum recession breaks that seal: the tissue pulls back from the teeth, the roots become exposed, and they're suddenly open to decay, sensitivity, and further damage to the tooth and the bone around it. At Aesthetic Dentistry, our doctors can pinpoint what's driving your recession and recommend the treatment that restores protection and improves your smile.
What it is
A slow loss of gum tissue that uncovers the tooth roots, breaking the protective seal around your teeth and exposing those roots to decay, sensitivity, and bone loss.
Who it affects
Gum recession can happen to anyone, though it shows up most often in adults over 40. Gum disease, aggressive brushing, genetics, teeth grinding, and misaligned teeth all add to the risk.
How we help
A careful evaluation to find the cause, non-surgical treatment whenever it's possible, and soft tissue grafting to rebuild lost gum tissue and re-cover the roots when that's what it takes.
Once gums recede, they won't come back on their own. Treating it early heads off further damage.
Symptoms of Gum Recession
- Sensitivity: Exposed roots make hot and cold temperatures uncomfortable
- Longer-looking teeth: As tissue pulls back, teeth start to look longer than usual
- Exposed roots: The darker root surface shows below the gum line
- Discoloration: Those exposed roots tend to look yellowish or brownish next to the crown
- Loose teeth: Teeth can loosen as the tissue supporting them disappears
- Increased cavities: Root surfaces are softer than enamel, so decay sets in more easily
Causes of Gum Recession
- Periodontal disease: The bacteria behind gum disease wear down the bone and tissue that hold teeth in place
- Aggressive brushing: A heavy hand or a hard-bristled brush grinds gum tissue away
- Poor oral hygiene: Plaque and tartar buildup fuels chronic inflammation that drives recession
- Genetics: Some people simply inherit thinner gum tissue
- Grinding and clenching: Constant excess force on the teeth pushes the gums back
- Misaligned teeth: Teeth that don't line up distribute force unevenly, causing localized recession
Treatment Options
- Address the cause: When gum disease is the culprit, scaling and root planing usually comes first
- Soft tissue grafting: A gum graft can rebuild lost tissue and cover the exposed roots again
- Bite correction: Adjusting the bite or treating a grinding habit halts recession driven by excess force
- Improved technique: A soft toothbrush and a gentler brushing motion keep further damage at bay
- Night guard: A custom night guard shields your gums from grinding-related recession
- our doctors will land on the right approach based on what's causing your recession and how far it has progressed
Don't wait until sensitivity becomes pain. Early treatment for gum recession is simpler and more effective.
What to Expect at Your Visit
Visit Steps
- Evaluation: our doctors study your gum tissue, measure the recession, and trace its underlying cause
- Diagnosis: You get a plain-language explanation of your condition and what's behind it
- Treatment plan: Depending on severity, that can run anywhere from better home care to soft tissue grafting
- Treatment: We try non-surgical approaches first where they fit, turning to grafting when recession is significant
- Follow-up: Regular check-ins confirm the recession has stopped and any grafts are healing well
Helpful Tips
- Trade up to a soft-bristled toothbrush and use gentle circular motions instead of scrubbing back and forth
- Take sensitivity seriously, since it's often recession's earliest signal
- If you grind at night, ask us about a custom night guard
- Keep flossing. Done properly it won't cause recession, but skipping it invites the gum disease that does
- Act on recession early, because every bit of lost gum tissue makes treatment more involved
Frequently Asked Questions
No. This is one of the most important things to understand about gum recession: once gum tissue has pulled back and been lost, it does not regenerate or grow back on its own. That is why catching recession early, before more tissue is lost, makes such a difference.
What can be done is to replace the tissue that is gone. A soft tissue graft adds healthy tissue over the exposed root, restoring the protective coverage and improving how the tooth looks. Just as important, we identify and address whatever is driving the gum recession in the first place, whether that is gum disease, a heavy-handed brushing technique, or grinding, so the recession does not simply continue at the next tooth.
It can be, which is why it is worth taking seriously rather than waiting to see what happens. Gum recession exposes the tooth roots, and roots are softer and less protected than the enamel-covered crown. That leaves them open to decay, ongoing sensitivity, and continued bone loss, and recession left to advance far enough can eventually threaten the tooth itself.
The encouraging side is that gum recession responds well to early action. Stepping in before it progresses often stops it in its tracks, and in many cases the lost coverage can be restored with a graft. The earlier it is addressed, the simpler the treatment tends to be and the more of your natural protection we can preserve.
In its early stages, gum recession is often painless, which is a big part of why it so frequently goes unnoticed. Many people do not realize anything is happening until they spot that their teeth look longer than they used to, or until sensitivity starts to creep in. There is rarely a clear ache to warn you.
As the roots become more exposed, that changes. Because root surfaces lack the protective enamel that covers the rest of the tooth, many patients feel sharp, sudden sensitivity to hot, cold, or sweet foods and drinks. If you have started bracing for that twinge with your morning coffee or a cold drink, it is worth having the recession looked at before it progresses further.
Often, yes, because many of the things that cause gum recession are within your control. While some people inherit naturally thin gum tissue that makes them more prone to it, the everyday habits that protect your gums make a real difference for almost everyone:
- Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and a gentle technique, rather than scrubbing hard
- Floss every night to fend off the gum disease that drives recession
- Address teeth grinding or clenching, often with a night guard
- Keep your regular dental checkups so any early recession is caught
If genetics put you at higher risk, prevention is still very much worth the effort; it just means early monitoring matters even more. Catching the first signs of gum recession is always easier than trying to recover ground that has already been lost.
A gum graft, also called a soft tissue graft, is the procedure used to restore coverage where gum recession has exposed a tooth root. It takes healthy tissue, usually from the roof of your mouth or from a donor source, and secures it over the exposed area so the root is protected once again.
The benefits are practical as much as cosmetic. By rebuilding the protective barrier of gum tissue, a graft eases the root sensitivity that recession often brings, guards the root against decay, and helps stop further recession at that tooth. It also improves how the tooth looks, since the gum line is restored to a more natural, even position. For recession that has progressed beyond what better home care alone can fix, grafting is often the most effective option.
There are a few telltale signs you can watch for at home. The most common is a tooth that suddenly looks longer than its neighbors, since recession exposes more of the tooth. You might also notice root surfaces showing through, often darker or more yellow than the crown, feel temperature sensitivity, or feel a small notch or step along the gum line with your tongue or fingernail.
The catch is that gum recession often begins in spots that are hard to see, and it can progress slowly enough that you adjust to it without noticing. During a routine exam, our doctors can measure and spot recession early, including in places you would never catch on your own, which is one more reason those regular visits are worth keeping.
Guard your roots and guard your smile. Book your gum recession evaluation today.