Pinhole Surgical Technique™ (PST) is a minimally invasive procedure that treats gum recession. Dr. John Chao developed the simple and minimally invasive PST. Unlike traditional grafting, this does not involve incisions and sutures. The technique involves creating a hole in the gum before adding collagen to stabilize the gum recession area. 

Understanding Gum Recession

Gum recession (gingival recession) is characterized by loss of gum tissue occurring along the gumline. Recession is often associated with gum disease, but it can result from other factors. 

The recession can be due to aggressive tooth brushing, the natural aging process, and bruxism. Gum recession can also be a result of orthodontic treatments. Left untreated, the condition can affect the structure of the teeth and the surrounding tissue.

Pinhole Surgical Technique PST

There are good reasons to choose PST over traditional gum grafting. The technique is minimally invasive, which makes it a comfortable treatment option. Traditional grafting usually involves the harvesting of gum tissue from the mouth before suturing it onto the affected area. This results in discomfort and a long recovery period. 

On the other hand, PST involves creating a small hole in the patient’s gum tissue. This happens before using special instruments to loosen the tissue. The tools expand and slide the patient’s gumline and adjust the tissue to cover the receded or an exposed root. 

Effective Healing After PST

After the adjustment of the gum over the crown of the tooth, the dentist will use collagen strips to keep the gum in place. This allows for fast healing as the patient will not require stitches. The surgeon inserts the strips through the pinhole. This holds the gum tissue, creates new support, and helps in the healing process. 

During the healing period, the body creates new gum tissue, which attaches to the new location. The surgeon can treat multiple teeth effectively in one session.

Benefits of Using PST

The Pinhole technique offers numerous benefits. Some of these include:
 

• It is a non-invasive procedure.
   

• It offers almost-immediate cosmetic enhancement. 
   

• There are no incisions or sutures involved.
   

• It ensures more comfort after the procedure. 
   

• Patients recover much faster.
   

• The results are long-lasting and natural-looking. 
   

• There is the elimination of the need for donor tissue.
   

• The technique can treat several areas of gum recession in one session. 

Ideal Candidates for PST

If you are considering getting PST, you need to determine if you are a good candidate for the procedure. The dentist or periodontist will help you make the decision. Ideal candidates are people whose receding gums are an aesthetic rather than a dental issue. People with tooth sensitivity brought on by the recession can benefit from the PST procedure. 

The ideal candidate is a non-smoker in good health, not suffering from periodontal disease. Patients who do not have adequate gum tissue are not good candidates for the procedure. The dental specialist will require enough gum tissue to perform the technique successfully. 

For more on the Pinhole Surgical Technique, visit Marine Park Periodontics and Implantology at our office in Brooklyn, New York. You can call (646) 863-4810 today to schedule an appointment.