Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2021 Jun;71(3):178-187.
doi: 10.1111/idj.12617. Epub 2021 Jan 29.

Treatment of Gingival Recession: When and How?

Jean-Claude Imber  1 , Adrian Kasaj  2
Affiliations
Review

Treatment of Gingival Recession: When and How?

Jean-Claude Imber et al. Int Dent J. 2021 Jun.

Abstract

Gingival recession is a common finding in daily clinical practice. Several issues may be associated with the apical shift of the gingival margin such as dentine hypersensitivity, root caries, non-carious cervical lesions (NCCLs), and compromised aesthetics. The first step in an effective management and prevention program is to identify susceptibility factors and modifiable conditions associated with gingival recession. Non-surgical treatment options for gingival recession defects include establishment of optimal plaque control, removal of overhanging subgingival restorations, behaviour change interventions, and use of desensitising agents. In cases where a surgical approach is indicated, coronally advanced flap and tunnelling procedures combined with a connective tissue graft are considered the most predictable treatment options for single and multiple recession defects. If there is a contraindication for harvesting a connective tissue graft from the palate or the patient wants to avoid a donor site surgery, adjunctive use of acellular dermal matrices, collagen matrices, and/or enamel matrix derivatives can be a valuable treatment alternative. For gingival recession defects associated with NCCLs a combined restorative-surgical approach can provide favourable clinical outcomes. If a patient refuses a surgical intervention or there are other contraindications for an invasive approach, gingival conditions should be maintained with preventive measures. This paper gives a concise review on when and how to treat gingival recession defects.

Keywords: Gingival recession; Mucogingival surgery; Soft tissue management.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Fig. 1
Baseline tooth 13 (Recession Type 2).
Figure 2
Fig. 2
After incision and flap elevation.
Figure 3
Fig. 3
Connective tissue graft.
Figure 4
Fig. 4
Flap closure with sling sutures.
Figure 5
Fig. 5
Outcome after 3 months.
Figure 6
Fig. 6
Baseline tooth 33 (Recession Type 2).
Figure 7
Fig. 7
After full-thickness tunnel preparation.
Figure 8
Fig. 8
Connective tissue graft.
Figure 9
Fig. 9
Flap closure with sling sutures.
Figure 10
Fig. 10
Outcome after 2 years.
Figure 11
Fig. 11
Baseline tooth 31 (Recession Type 1).
Figure 12
Fig. 12
After full-thickness tunnel preparation.
Figure 13
Fig. 13
Connective tissue graft.
Figure 14
Fig. 14
Flap closure with single interrupted sutures and sling sutures.
Figure 15
Fig. 15
Outcome after 3 months.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Pini Prato G. Mucogingival deformities. Ann Periodontol. 1999;4:98–101. - PubMed
    1. AAP's. Glossary of Periodontal Terms. American Academy of Periodontology. Glossary of Periodontal Terms. Available from: https://members.perio.org/libraries/glossary?ssopc=1. Accessed 6 December 2019.
    1. Vignoletti F, Di Martino M, Clementini M, et al. Prevalence and risk indicators of gingival recessions in an Italian school of dentistry and dental hygiene: a cross-sectional study. Clin Oral Investig. 2020;24:991–1000. - PubMed
    1. Thomson WM, Hashim R, Pack AR. The prevalence and intraoral distribution of periodontal attachment loss in a birth cohort of 26-year-olds. J Periodontol. 2000;71:1840–1845. - PubMed
    1. Kassab MM, Cohen RE. The etiology and prevalence of gingival recession. J Am Dent Assoc. 2003;134:220–225. - PubMed