Description

So, what do we do when a patient walks in complaining of gingival recession and its symptoms? Before undertaking surgical or non-surgical forms of therapy for gingival recession, we must address the etiology of the problem. It goes without saying, that therapeutic interventions will be undermined in the long run if the cause of the problem is not removed. Once the etiology of the condition has been uncovered and addressed, we may proceed to plan a treatment to arrest or reverse the gingival recession. The treatment plan will be based on the severity of symptoms, the goal of the patient and the body of knowledge in the current literature. A patient with minimal symptoms will benefit from education about the etiology along with preventive therapy, whereas a patient with severe sensitivity and esthetic concerns will likely elect to have surgical treatment.