Gum recession treatment ranges from a simple deep cleaning for mild cases to surgical grafting when the gums have pulled back significantly. The right approach depends on how much tissue has been lost, what caused the recession, and whether the underlying bone is still intact. Most treatments are highly effective at stopping further damage, and several can restore lost gum tissue entirely.
Deep Cleaning for Early-Stage Recession
When recession is caught early and linked to gum disease, the first step is usually scaling and root planing. This nonsurgical procedure goes deeper than a standard dental cleaning. Your dentist or periodontist uses specialized instruments to remove plaque and hardite buildup (tartar) from below the gumline, then smooths the root surfaces so gum tissue can reattach more easily.
Scaling and root planing works best for mild to moderate gum disease, before significant tissue or bone loss has occurred. The goal is to eliminate the bacterial infection driving the recession and create conditions for healing. Your dentist may also place antibiotic gel directly into the gum pockets or prescribe an antimicrobial rinse to keep bacteria from recolonizing the area. The average cost runs about $242 per quadrant of the mouth, though it can range from $185 to $444 depending on severity and location.
Gum Graft Surgery
When recession has progressed beyond what a deep cleaning can address, gum grafting is the most established surgical option. A periodontist takes a small piece of tissue and uses it to rebuild the gumline over exposed roots. There are three main types, each suited to different situations.
Connective Tissue Graft
This is the most commonly performed version. The periodontist creates a small flap in the roof of your mouth, removes a piece of connective tissue from beneath that flap, then stitches the flap closed. The harvested tissue is placed over the exposed root and sutured into position. It’s particularly effective for covering roots across multiple teeth.
Free Gingival Graft
Instead of going beneath a flap, this approach takes a thin strip of tissue directly from the surface of the palate and attaches it to the receded area. It’s typically used when the existing gum tissue is very thin and needs reinforcement, even if root coverage isn’t the primary goal.
Pedicle Graft
Rather than borrowing tissue from the palate, a pedicle graft uses gum tissue adjacent to the affected tooth. The periodontist partially cuts the nearby tissue, keeping one edge attached for blood supply, and rotates or slides it over the exposed root. This works only when there’s enough healthy gum tissue next to the recession site.
The national average cost for gum graft surgery is around $2,742, with a typical range of $2,120 to $4,982 depending on the number of teeth involved and the type of graft.
Pinhole Surgical Technique
For patients who want to avoid the incisions and sutures of traditional grafting, the Pinhole Surgical Technique (PST) offers a minimally invasive alternative. Developed by Dr. John Chao, this procedure involves making a tiny pinhole in the gum tissue near the recession site. Through that opening, the periodontist gently loosens and repositions the existing gum tissue downward (or upward, for lower teeth) to cover the exposed roots. Small collagen strips are placed beneath the tissue to hold everything in position while it heals.
Recovery is notably faster than with traditional grafts. Most patients return to normal daily activities within 24 to 48 hours, and full healing of the gum tissue typically takes one to two weeks. Because there’s no donor site on the palate, much of the post-surgical discomfort associated with conventional grafting is eliminated. PST works best when the underlying bone structure is still reasonably intact and enough existing gum tissue is available to reposition.
Laser-Assisted Treatment
The Laser-Assisted New Attachment Procedure (LANAP) uses a specialized laser to treat gum disease and encourage tissue regeneration without conventional surgery. During the procedure, the laser vaporizes diseased bacteria inside the gum pockets while leaving healthy tissue intact. Tartar is then removed with ultrasonic instruments, and the laser is used again to help the gum tissue form a seal against the tooth root.
Clinical trials have reported success rates of about 88% or higher. Studies have also found less tooth loss with LANAP compared to traditional gum surgery, along with a lower rate of disease recurrence. The laser stimulates new tissue attachment between the gums and bone, which helps rebuild the supportive structures around the tooth. Because there are no incisions or sutures, healing tends to be faster and more comfortable than with open surgical approaches.
Guided Tissue Regeneration
When gum recession has led to bone loss around a tooth, guided tissue regeneration (GTR) aims to rebuild both bone and gum tissue rather than just covering exposed roots. The procedure places a thin membrane between the gum tissue and the bone defect. This barrier prevents fast-growing gum tissue from filling in the space where bone needs to regrow, giving the slower-growing bone cells time to regenerate.
Some of these membranes dissolve on their own over time, while others need to be surgically removed later. Newer bioactive membranes are engineered to release growth factors that actively stimulate bone formation and blood vessel development, speeding up the regeneration process. GTR is often combined with bone grafting material and may be performed alongside a gum graft. It’s typically reserved for cases where bone loss is significant enough that grafting alone wouldn’t provide a stable, long-term result.
What Recovery Looks Like
Recovery from gum graft surgery follows a fairly predictable pattern. On the first day, expect some bleeding, swelling, and discomfort. Stick to soft, cool foods like yogurt, pudding, and smoothies. Bleeding usually subsides within the first 24 to 48 hours, while swelling peaks around day three or four and may be accompanied by some bruising.
During the first week, you can gradually add soft foods like eggs, pasta, fish, and cooked vegetables. Avoid exercise, heavy lifting, and anything strenuous for at least a week, since elevated heart rate can increase bleeding and swelling. Most people can return to work or school within one to two days, though you’ll need to be careful about what you eat and how you clean your teeth.
By the second week, swelling and bruising should be fading noticeably. You can start reintroducing more solid foods, but hold off on hard, crunchy, or spicy items until your periodontist gives the all-clear. Full recovery timelines vary by procedure: traditional grafts take the longest, while pinhole surgery patients often feel back to normal within a week or two.
What Happens Without Treatment
Recession that goes untreated doesn’t stay the same. It progresses. As the gum tissue continues to pull away from the teeth, more of the root surface becomes exposed. Unlike the crown of your tooth, roots aren’t covered with hard enamel. They’re covered with cementum, a much weaker material. This makes exposed roots significantly more vulnerable to cavities and increasingly sensitive to temperature, brushing, and certain foods.
Over time, the bone supporting the affected teeth begins to deteriorate. Teeth can become mobile, feeling loose or “wiggly,” and eventually tooth loss becomes a real possibility. The earlier recession is addressed, the more treatment options are available and the better the outcomes tend to be. Mild recession caught early may only need a deep cleaning and improved oral hygiene, while advanced cases often require surgery to prevent further structural damage.