If you have gum recession, this could make your teeth appear long, and increase the risk of everything from tooth decay to periodontitis. But we can help with a conservative alternative to traditional gum grafts. In today’s blog, your San Diego/Encinitas, CA, periodontist talks about our Pinhole Gum Grafts and how they can boost the health and beauty of your smile in one visit!

The Factors Behind Gum Recession

When do smiles need a Pinhole Gum Graft? This procedure is recommended when the advanced stages of the disease has caused the tissues to pull away from the teeth, which creates recession. The exposed portions of the roots not protected by enamel, so you are now more vulnerable to painful toothaches caused by cavities and infection. The periodontal disease is also reaching a more advanced stage, one that severs the connective tissues between the teeth and gums to cause adult tooth loss. But we can help correct the recession and reshape your gum line in the process, so you have a more attractive and beautiful smile.

The Pinhole Difference

Also known as the Pinhole Surgical technique, this is a more conservative alternative to traditional gum grafts, one that doesn’t require us to remove tissue from other parts of your mouth’s interior to cover up the exposed roots. Instead, we will make a miniscule hole in the tissues and add a special collagen material, allowing us to manipulate the tissues until we can cover the exposed roots and correct the recession to ensure proper symmetry. In only one visit, this can offer a more attractive and healthier smile. We can aid in the process with dental lasers, so we can destroy harmful bacteria and adjust connective tissues and underlying bone structure as needed.

What Happens Next?

You will return home with any necessary prescriptions for medications to aid in the healing process, and healing will likely take a day or two to complete, and you can then return to your normal routine. This use of lasers and the conservative approach means it heals faster and lowers the risk of complications, including sore, red, and bleeding gums, is much lower. Our team can then suggest treatments to help manage the disease and protect your smile from further recession and discomfort. This could include routine cleanings every three to four months, even preventive and holistic treatments like Ozone Therapy or medications to manage the disease properly.

If you have any questions about how we protect your smile with the Pinhole Surgical Technique, or if you have receding tissues you want to address in 2026, then contact our team today to learn more and start the process. We want you to smile with confidence again!

Schedule a Visit for the Pinhole Surgical Technique

We can help correct receding tissues and manage periodontal disease. When you are ready to schedule an appointment, call Dr. Ann Kania in San Diego, CA, at 760-642-0711.