Gum Recession Treatment

Gum recession can be painful, cause tooth decay, or generally lessen your oral health. Here at Derby City Dental Specialists, we are here to offer gum grafting and other gum recession treatments for patients struggling with periodontal disease.

Located in Louisville, Kentucky, our office specializes in treating gum concerns, offering an enhanced patient experience for each visitor. To see our specialist about your gum recession and get treatment, fill out our new patient form to request a consultation.

Request Consultation

Recommended By a Doctor?

Dr. Clagett has over 15 years of experience in his field as a periodontist and partners with many cosmetic and general dentists in the area to offer his specialized treatment to patients. He will provide the professional touch you need to see the results you want.

Our practice plans treatments around results, ensuring that you will have both your cosmetic and oral health concerns addressed by your visits.

Our Gum Recession Treatment Options

We invite you to ask your general dentist about your gum recession. If they think you are in need of a gum graft or other periodontal surgery, we invite you to come visit us in Louisville, Kentucky, for minimally invasive periodontal surgery.

Depending on the severity of your case we will recommend a variety of gum graft options:

SAMRI is appropriate for those who have minor to moderate gum recession but still seek treatment.
We offer entire gum grafts, for those with moderate to severe gum recession.

What to Expect

Gum grafts use a small area of tissue from inside your mouth to support the receding gums. We care for the comfort of our patients; both kinds of surgeries are done under general anesthesia.

Recovery generally takes one to two weeks. During recovery, we advise you to avoid crunchy foods that may irritate your gums. Our team will be sure to prepare you for the gum graft process and recovery, with clear patient education and instructions.

Our office is proud to offer periodontal treatments that can save you from losing teeth or suffering from tooth and gum infections.

We Work to Address the WHY of Gum Recession

Gum recession can happen for a plethora of reasons, many completely outside of your control. It can be difficult to live with, especially untreated.

Not only will we work with each patient to address their current gum recession, but we will also diagnose the reason for your gum recession if possible. Our team will create a preventative treatment plan for you moving forward, ending potential further recession.

Our office will collaborate with your doctors and general dentist to ensure that you are getting well-rounded care for your periodontal health.

The Benefits of Receiving Gum Recession Treatment

Gum recession treatment restores both your periodontal health and your smile by bringing your gums back over the roots of your teeth.

Receding gums can expose the roots of your teeth, creating the look of discoloration in your upper smile. Your gums help to create balance in your smile, and if they are missing you may feel as if your smile is toothy or unbalanced.

With our gum grafts, you can have a balanced smile that looks as good as it feels.

Be Pain-Free Once More

You may be experiencing pain or constant toothaches because of your gum recession. Recession can also lead to heightened sensitivity or pain when you eat foods that are too hot, cold, sweet, or sour. The root of your tooth being exposed is what causes this pain. Gum grafts will cover any exposed areas, enabling you to go about your life without pain.

Care for Your Oral Health with Gum Grafts

There are several oral health risks to gum recession that gum grafting or other treatments can fix. Having a root exposed can be damaging to the tooth and make it more susceptible to infection. If the root of the tooth is weakened significantly, gum recession can even lead to tooth loss.

We seek to treat gum recession early, preventing our patients from experiencing any severe discomfort or loss of their oral health. Early treatment makes the surgery recovery times shorter.

The Gum Graft Process

Derby City Dental Specialists will support you through your process of receiving a gum graft, giving your gums and teeth the care they need to be pain-free and functional. Depending on how many gum grafts you need, we may space out surgeries to give you an opportunity to heal.

Consultation | Dr. Clagett will spend time getting to know you and determining the exact diagnosis and treatment that is specific to you. In addition to determining the best way to treat your gum recession, we will also be transparent about the costs and time associated with your treatment.
Gum Graft Surgery | Once the area is numbed with local anesthesia, we use minimally invasive microsurgery to create a pouch to place the donor gum tissue. Occasionally we use palatal tissue, but that is not common. Your gum tissue is then sutured over the graft to cover the roots and give the most esthetic result possible.
Post Operative Care and Follow Up | You will be prescribed medicine for your follow up care, including an antibiotic, anti-inflammatories and pain medication. You avoid the surgical area and return in approximately 4 weeks to clean the teeth and make sure healing is enough to return to normal brushing and eating.

We may suggest further treatments and schedule further gum grafts if more than one is necessary.

As we treat your gum recession, our team is equipped to handle difficult cases. Dr. Clagett is a specialist in his field, focused on results that will positively impact your quality of life.

Gum grafts can rejuvenate your smile and your gums, making it easier for you to smile about the things you love.

The Forefront of Periodontal Surgery Research

dental professional performing treatment

Dr. Clagett has participated in research and publications regarding SAMRI, a technique that requires one singular incision for gum grafting. SAMRI uses your gum’s natural shape and additional tissue to reattach your roots.

This technique shortens patient recovery times and patient discomfort. The healing process will be shortened as there will only be one incision area to heal, not two.

Dr. Clagett is dedicated to finding new techniques and technology that make his patient’s lives better, which is why he has researched new findings for gum recession treatment.

Gum Treatment From a Specialist

Dr. Clagett is a specialist in the Louisville, Kentucky, area who collaborates with local dentists to ensure their patients receive high-quality care and results. Dr. Clagett’s experience prepares him to offer diagnosis, treatment planning, and an elevated standard of periodontal surgery.

Dedication to Ongoing Education

We value a high level of training and dedication to our profession. Dr. Ryan Clagett participates in continued education to give you long-lasting results. Our periodontal surgeries will lead to improved appearance and oral health now and in the future.

Better Patient Experience

Our practice focuses on results for our patients, leaving them with a satisfying smile and enhanced oral health after treatments. Receiving a gum graft from a specialist will lead to a better surgery experience with a high level of precision that may not occur if you pursue a general dentistry office. This precision will prevent scarring and lead to a quicker healing time.

Meet with him today to learn more about what he can do for you.

Our Office

People visit our office to receive gum grafts that are discreet and painless while meeting their periodontal needs. Our office is on the leading edge of periodontal surgery and gum recession treatments.

When you visit us you can expect:

A surgery experience that helps you feel comfortable, with minimal invasion or pain
Advanced technology and techniques that assist in better results and shorter recovery
Custom approaches for each individual patient, leading to an enhanced experience
Results-based planning and clear processes for each and every step, with a focus on improving your life and smile

Dr. Clagett and our team are here to make your periodontal treatment go smoothly while offering results that bring back your smile fully.

We Embrace Advanced Technology for Our Patients

We believe that offering cutting-edge technology will improve our patient’s experience. Our technology allows us to be incredibly precise in the placement of your gum graft, increasing the chances of it healing properly.

Our technology includes:

Advanced x-ray and imaging, used for precise diagnoses
Comfort dentistry for local and general anesthesia
3D imaging for diagnoses and treatment planning

We also utilize approaches to gum grafting that are minimally invasive and have shorter healing times, with the SAMRI treatment plan.

The Value of a Gum Graft

A gum graft can completely change your life, preventing years of pain, sensitivity, and discomfort. This makes a gum graft a very valuable treatment for many patients.

At Dr. Clagett’s office you can expect results that exceed expectations. As a specialist in his field, he will help you in receiving diagnoses and care that can restore your oral health and the looks of your smile.

Every visit to Derby City Dental Specialists is invaluable thanks to our emphasis on an enhanced patient experience.

Gum Graft Costs

We invite you to contact our office or come in for a new patient consultation to learn more about the cost of your specific treatment. Treatment costs vary based on how many grafts are required to heal your gum recession, as well as how severe the gum recession is.

Insurances often focus on less permanent solutions for periodontal disease, that do not rectify the cosmetic issues and the pain you may be experiencing. Derby City Dental Specialists does not currently partner with insurance.

Our office offers payment plans and financing options. To learn more, fill out the new patient form for a consultation, where we will discuss just how valuable a gum graft can be.

Gum Recession and Gum Graft FAQ

What Causes Gum Recession?

Gum recession has multiple causes, such as:

Braces
Genetics
Poor oral health
Dental trauma
Periodontitis or gingivitis

Early treatment of these causes may mitigate gum recession. During your consultation, Dr. Clagett will investigate the cause of your gum recession, and his treatment plan will include preventative steps for the future.

Can Gum Recession Be Prevented?

In some cases, yes. A high level of oral care can prevent gum recession and gum diseases that lead to gum recession. Occasionally genetic gum recession occurs even when good oral care is practiced.

To do your part in gum prevention:

Brush your teeth twice daily
Floss once a day
Use a recommended mouthwash
Avoid sodas and sugary foods

We invite you to collaborate with your general dentist and the team at Derby City Dental Specialists to prevent gum recession and gum disease.

How Can I Tell if My Gums Are Receding?

If you are experiencing sensitivity in any of your teeth, especially to sugary things or cold things, we recommend visiting your general dentist. They will be able to diagnose you, or they will send you to a specialist, such as Dr. Clagett here at Derby City Dental Specialists.

Our diagnostic tools and precise care will allow us to determine what the best course of action for you and your oral health will be.

Can Gum Recession Be Reverted?

Gum recession can be stalled and prevented, but once it has occurred it is permanent. That is one reason that gum grafts can be life-changing for our patients because they are a tried and true option to repair gum recession and tooth sensitivity.

Rejuvenate Your Periodontal Health

Dr. Clagett and our team at Derby City Dental Specialists are here to give your gums a new look and feel, with our gum recession treatments. No longer will you have to handle sensitivity and pain—instead you can have confidence in your oral health and look your best.