As the name explains, exposed root occurs when the roots of the teeth are unprotected and exposed. If you feel painful twinges when brushing your teeth or toothache when eating hot or cold foods, you may be suffering from this condition.
The root of the tooth is formed by sensory pulp and dentin, which, in turn, are covered by a substance called cementum. When these roots lose gum protection, they are exposed to bacteria, plaque, acids, and extreme temperatures, causing tooth sensitivity.
Furthermore, cementum is not a resistant substance like tooth enamel and can easily deteriorate or wear off quickly with brushing. As a result, teeth become more sensitive and less stable.
What to do to recover your gums?
There are several forms of recovery, the most common being surgery. However, there are alternative treatments.
Surgery
Simple gum surgery: If the gum recession is at an early stage, it can be recovered by surgery without a graft. The post-operative period of this modality is much simpler and more practical to follow. In addition to looking at the advancement of the gums, the technique also considers other requirements for satisfactory results, such as favorable tissue biotype and reasonably aligned teeth.
Surgery with autogenous gum graft (patient's own): when the gingival retraction is in places with unfavorable prognoses and/or is quite extensive, surgery is recommended using a gingival graft collected from the patient himself. Furthermore, despite the greater possibility of good results, this surgery requires extra dedication from the patient in relation to the post-operative treatment.
Allogeneic gum graft surgery: this technique involves replacing the patient's gingival grafts with a PRF membrane (fibrin rich in platelets and leukocytes) or synthetic materials that imitate human gums. It is an alternative that provides a simpler postoperative period and simple surgical technique. However, its disadvantage is related to the extra financial costs and restriction of the technique, for example, cases with extensive tissue recession need to be considered before starting treatment, to see if it is feasible to perform this technique on your patient.
Alternative treatments for exposed tooth roots
Your dentist may consider alternative treatments when the surgical technique is impossible due to health restraints or because tissue recession is not yet enough to warrant surgery.
- Desensitization: when the root of the tooth is exposed, it is common for the patient to experience pain and sensitivity when eating cold and acidic foods. Therefore, to solve this problem, desensitizers are used on the affected area. Treatment is simple and generally very efficient.
- Dental restoration: in cases that occurred due to the patient's way of brushing, it is possible to perform a dental restoration in resin or porcelain. This is an option both for dental aesthetics and for reducing areas of possible bacterial accumulation. However, the technique has to be done very precisely, as it can worsen the problem of gingival retraction.
If you think you are experiencing gum recession and root exposure, it is important to speak with your dentist and come up with a plan for your oral health that includes solving this problem.