Pinhole Surgery
Dr. Smith was the first periodontist in the Suburban Philadelphia area to be trained and certified to perform the Pinhole Technique. This technique is a minimally invasive procedure that is used to treat gum tissue recession without the use of scalpels, sutures or palatal tissue.
The Pinhole Technique was developed by Dr. John Chao in 2006. Dr. Chao uses a surgical microscope when he teaches this technique to other dental professional as he recognizes the many benefits of magnification.
Dr. Smith is very comfortable utilizing this technique for several reasons. For almost 20 years his practice has focused extensively on treating gingival recession and he has treated thousands of patients with this condition. In addition, Dr. Smith has used a surgical microscope and loupes for the past decade to treat his patients. Finally, this is a rather simple technique. There are many microscope assisted minimally invasive techniques to treat gingival recession and the Pinhole technique can now be added to that list of procedures. It is important to recognize that not every tooth is a candidate for the Pinhole technique. No one surgical modality is best at treating all circumstances.
Dr. Smith is a highly skilled in the surgical correction of peri-oral defects and is an expert in addressing gingival recession problems. He is able to predictably treat this condition by first determining an accurate periodontal and esthetic diagnosis and from that identifying the most appropriate surgical treatment to address the problem. You can feel confident that Dr. Smith’s recommendations for treatment will be minimally invasive and suitable for your particular situation. He looks forward to treating his patients using this exciting new technique.
A breakthrough in gum recession treatment! The Pinhole® Technique is a scalpel-free, stitch-free procedure for treating gum recession. This procedure is performed by making a small hole with a needle in the gum tissue. Using specially designed instruments, the gum tissue is loosened and guided over the receded part of the tooth. Dr. Smith was the first periodontist in the Suburban Philadelphia area to be trained and certified to perform this technique. For almost 20 years, Dr. Smith has focused extensively on treating gingival recession and has treated thousands of patients with this condition. Because of this, Dr. Smith is very comfortable utilizing this technique. With his surgical skills, he is able to predictably treat this condition through careful examination in order to determine an accurate periodontal and esthetic diagnosis. He is then able to identify the most appropriate surgical treatment to correct the problem. You can feel confident that Dr. Smith’s recommendations for treatment will be minimally invasive and fit to meet the needs of your particular situation. Dr. Smith looks forward to correcting his patients’ gum recession problems with this exciting new technique.
Benefits of Treatment:
• No incision • No stitches • Minimal post-operative symptoms • Instant cosmetic improvement • Less chance of future problems and additional treatments
Problems If Left Untreated:
Recession can cause one or more problems effecting the teeth, bone, gum tissue and smile. These problems include: • Longer looking teeth • Yellow edge between the teeth and gums • Sensitivity to hot and cold foods and drinks • Gaps between the teeth and gums • Shifting or moving of the teeth • Swollen, tender or bleeding gums • Pus or bad breath • Periodontal disease • Clenching and grinding • Trauma • Decay at or near the gum line
Connective Tissue Graft
Connective Tissue Graft is a periodontal surgical procedure in which gum tissue is removed from one section of the mouth and moved to another area of the mouth. Grafting may be done in order to protect your teeth from gum recession, a condition when gum tissue surrounding a tooth begins to pull away, exposing more of the tooth or the tooth’s root. Grafting can also be done to enhance or improve a smile.
Gingival Contouring
Do your gums sit too low or too high on your teeth? If so and you are unhappy with your smile, we offer aesthetic gingival contouring, also commonly known as gum reshaping, a procedure in which we can even out your gum line and enhance the beauty of your smile.
Frenectomy
A frenum is a small fold of tissue found under the tongue (lingual frenum) and attached to the center of the upper and lower lip in the mouth (libial frenum). These two types of frena can sometimes obstruct normal function in the mouth and may require removal, also known as a frenectomy.
