Dentist Invents New Treatment To Slide Receding Gums Back Down

Dr. John Chao says his invention of the Pinhole Surgical Technique™ provides a minimally invasive treatment for receding gums that literally slides gum tissue back down to its proper position. The treatment requires no cutting or stitches, eliminating the pain and extended downtime of conventional gum grafting surgery.  Dr. Chao is a dentist who practices in Alhambra, CA.

A 33-month study of 43 patients with 121 gum recessions using the Pinhole Surgical Technique™ was published in the October, 2012, issue of the International Journal of Periodontics and Restorative Dentistry. The results of this study were as successful as the standard gum grafting procedure, while patients who underwent the Pinhole Surgical Technique™ reported virtually no pain, no bleeding and high satisfaction with the almost instant transformation of the defective gum line. (Int J Periodontics Restorative Dent 2012; 32: 521-531.)

Dr. Chao’s patient “Maria” is only 36, but she has receding gums. “That’s not as unusual as people may think, says Dr. Chao. “We see gum recession in patients of all ages. Half the population has some degree of receding gums, but many people are unaware of it until they experience sensitivity to cold or notice the roots of their teeth beginning to show,” he says.

“Like Maria, many patients have been reluctant to have their receding gums corrected because they are afraid of undergoing painful gum grafting,” says Dr. Chao. But Maria is having the Pinhole Surgical Technique done which will restore her unsightly, receding gums in minutes, says Dr. Chao. 

To begin the treatment, the affected teeth are cleaned and prepared and the gum tissue is numbed with a local anesthetic. A needle is used to make a small  entry point in the gum above the tooth or teeth to be treated.

A special instrument designed by Dr. Chao is inserted into the entry point and moved to free the gum tissue, then the gums are gently pushed down to position. Dr. Chao then uses a small angled forceps, or “pliers” to pass several tiny collagen strips through the entry point and place them under the gums

Above: Receding gums
Below: After the Pinhole Surgical Technique.

which help to keep the tissue in place as new collagen is formed by the body. This completes the procedure, which takes about a half an hour depending on the number of teeth treated. The small entry hole quickly heals and is virtually undetectable the next day.

“Until the invention of the Pinhole Surgical Technique™, gum grafting surgery was the gold standard for treatment of receding gums,” says Dr. Chao. “However, surgical gum grafting is a much more invasive procedure which requires a scalpel to cut and remove a section of gum from the roof of the mouth which must then be sutured in place over the area of recession. Because of the cutting and stitches required, most dentists will only treat one or two teeth at a time, then the patient will need to heal before having more teeth done. The patient must deal with considerable post-op pain, bleeding, and healing time. However, the Pinhole Surgical Technique can address several teeth through just one tiny entry point. “Unlike gum grafting, multiple teeth can be treated in one session,” says Dr. Chao, who will soon be instructing other dentists in the new treatment. For more information on gum rejuvenation with the Pinhole Surgical Technique™ visit www.AlhambraDental.com or call (888) 309-7501.

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