FAQ
What is gingival recession?
How common is gingival recession?
How is gingival recession treated?
Does amnion tissue have anything in common with embryonic stem cells?
What type of tooth brush is recommended to help prevent gingival recession?
What is an important factor to consider post treatment with BioCover?
Q: What is gingival recession?
Gingival recession is when the gum tissue, which surrounds and protects a tooth, begins to recede, exposing the root of the tooth. As the root surface becomes exposed it can create an esthetic deformity, make the tooth more sensitive to touch and temperature, and become more susceptible to decay and loss of supporting bone. The cause of gingival recession can be linked to many factors which include periodontal disease, excessive tooth brushing, clenching of the teeth, age or anatomical considerations.
Q: How common is gingival recession?
Published literature estimates that over 50% of Americans have at least one occurrence of clinically significant gingival recession. Of those 50%, at least half (or 25%) of Americans have gingival recession which requires surgical treatment.
Q: How is gingival recession treated?
A periodontist, or other dental professional, will perform a surgical procedure aimed at reducing further gum recession; improving esthetics and protecting vulnerable roots from periodontal disease. Traditionally, this treatment requires two surgeries. The first, involves harvesting a piece of palatal tissue from the roof of the patient’s mouth; to serve as the graft material. The second surgery involves laying the graft over the exposed root of the tooth and securing it in place with sutures. While this procedure is shown to be effective, it can be quite painful to the patient and time consuming to perform both surgeries.
Q: Does amnion tissue have anything in common with embryonic stem cells?
No. BioCover is composed of amnion tissue. This is part of the placenta and is normally discarded. The tissue used in BioCover is obtained from mothers who donate their placenta.
Q: What type of tooth brush is recommended to help prevent gingival recession?
A common cause of gingival recession is brushing one’s teeth too hard with a toothbrush. Although no data exists on the use of mechanical toothbrushes and their effect on gingival recession, published literature clearly shows that the use of either a Sonic Care™ or Oral B™, mechanical toothbrush, resulted in significantly less root abrasion, compared to brushing with a regular toothbrush. Snoasis Medical strongly recommends using a mechanical toothbrush as a means to help prevent gingival recession.
Q: What is an important factor to consider post treatment with BioCover?
Always follow the instructions of the treating clinician. The likelihood of a successful treatment with BioCover increases when the instructions of the treating clinician are followed. One such instruction is resisting the temptation to examine the site of treatment for at least two weeks after surgery. Even though the treated area is not expected to be a source of pain, a day or two later, healing is still taking place. By lifting one’s lip up (or down depending on the treatment location) to examine the site of treatment, additional tension may cause the healing gum tissue to recede; negatively impacting your outcome.