Can Invisalign Cause Gum Recession?

What causes gum recession?

Gum recession can be caused by a number of factors, including age, disease, and diet. If left untreated, severe gum recession can lead to tooth loss. Gum recession is a development in which the tooth position changes, causing discomfort. Clear aligners do not add to the discomfort of gum recession, because your periodontal ligament tissue needs time to adjust.

There are a variety of ways to treat gum recession, depending on the severity.

How can Invisalign cause gum recession?

One of the things that sometimes can contribute to gum recession is Invisalign. Here’s a patient who was just in the other day and was telling me that he’s just completed Invisalign and prior to Invisalign his gums were covering the roots of the teeth much more than they are now. We don’t know how much exposure there was before, but we do know that at least according to the patient, there was much less root exposure prior to it. Gum recession can be caused by a number of factors, including thin or lost gum tissue, movement, and Invisalign. In cases like this, we use the pinhole technique to build up gum tissue and minimize sensitivity. Our goal is to cover as many roots as possible and create thick, Thick Gum Tissue. If you’re resistant to gum recession, it’s likely because when that gum recedes the bone underneath it will also recede. This is why the pinhole technique is so very successful in treating and stopping gum recession – we see a lot of gum recession here at our office sometimes it’s related to too hard brushing or just genetic factors. Orthodontic treatment and including Invisalign can have an impact, but if a patient is questionable as far as the condition of their gums, getting a consultation with a periodontist would be prudent before any orthodontic treatment. Gum recession can occur if your teeth are not aligned properly. If you have Invisalign or any other dental treatment, make sure to keep your mouth healthy by eating a balanced diet and visiting a dentist regularly. You can also treat gum recession yourself with proper care.