Contents of this guide
What gum recession is
The gum surrounds the neck of each tooth. When it pulls back, part of the root shows, which is why teeth look longer. The NHS lists shrinking gums among the symptoms of gum disease, and the Dental Life website describes receding gums with teeth that look longer as one of the signs of periodontal disease.
Recession is a different finding from inflammation. Gingivitis and periodontitis, which Radar explains in its guide to gingivitis and periodontitis, concern inflammation and loss of tooth support. Recession describes how much root is exposed, and it can appear with or without periodontal disease. That is why the diagnosis decides what is done.
Causes and associated factors
There is no single cause. A 2026 systematic review in European Oral Research pooled 9 studies with 1,619 university students and found recession prevalence ranging from 29.4% to 82.6%, with high variation between studies. The associated factors were age, sex, oral hygiene habits, brushing technique and force, occlusal interferences and anatomical factors. The authors note that longitudinal studies are needed to clarify causality, so these are associations, not proven relationships.
| Associated factor | What it means |
|---|---|
| Brushing | Incorrect technique or excessive force. |
| Hygiene and periodontal disease | Plaque buildup and inflammation that weaken support. |
| Bite | Occlusal interferences. |
| Anatomy | Factors specific to each person. |
| Age and sex | Variables associated in the reviewed studies. |
The table summarizes the factors in the 2026 review. The explanation of each is descriptive. The link with orthodontics comes from a narrative review, cited below, not from the prevalence review.
On orthodontics, a 2026 narrative review of patients with skeletal malocclusions undergoing orthognathic surgery concludes that the presurgical orthodontic decompensation phase is the one most associated with periodontal risk, with alveolar bone loss, dehiscences and fenestrations around the lower incisors. The finding applies to that specific group and not to all orthodontics. Anyone considering braces or aligners can ask about the state of their gums before starting.
When treatment is needed
Small, stable recession without discomfort can be monitored at regular checkups, such as a dental cleaning. The Dental Life website states that recession has treatment and that the periodontist decides which one applies after the diagnosis. These situations commonly prompt a visit:
- The exposed root increases over time, compared against photos or records from earlier checkups.
- There is sensitivity. A 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis of recessions associated with non-carious cervical lesions, with 4 trials, found that combining periodontal and restorative treatment reduced dentin sensitivity, though with low to very low certainty of evidence.
- There is inflammation, bleeding or loose teeth, signs of periodontal disease that are treated before surgery is considered.
- Appearance is a concern, for example a smile with uneven proportions between tooth and gum. The clinic’s website mentions gum contouring to improve that proportion.
- There is little firm gum around the tooth. The clinic’s website says grafts can increase the amount of attached gum.
What a gum graft is and what the evidence says
According to the clinic’s periodontics page, gum grafts are procedures to cover exposed roots and increase the amount of attached gum around the teeth. If bone has also been lost, the same page mentions regeneration techniques, and also aesthetic contouring and laser treatment as options the periodontist weighs case by case.
The best evidence synthesis is a 2018 Cochrane review of root coverage procedures, with 48 randomized trials and 1,227 adults. It concluded that most periodontal plastic surgery procedures reduce recession. It suggests that subepithelial connective tissue grafting, the coronally advanced flap alone or combined with another graft or biomaterial, and guided tissue regeneration can be used for these defects. Connective tissue grafting may offer a slight advantage when the goal is both root coverage and more keratinized gum. Even so, the certainty of the evidence is low or very low, so it is not possible to say with confidence which procedure is the most effective.
| Question | What the sources say |
|---|---|
| What does a graft do? | Covers exposed roots and increases attached gum (Dental Life website). |
| Does it work? | Most procedures reduce recession (Cochrane 2018). |
| Which technique is better? | Cannot be determined with confidence; connective tissue grafting may have a slight advantage (Cochrane 2018). |
| How certain is the evidence? | Low or very low, because of study design problems (Cochrane 2018). |
| Who decides? | The periodontist, after the diagnosis (Dental Life website). |
The clinic’s website presents Dr. Mario Chalhoub as a specialist in periodontics and implantology, according to his profile. The open sources consulted do not allow recovery times or coverage percentages to be given, and the clinic’s website does not publish them either, so those details are settled at the consultation.
Dental Life Panamá describes gum grafts, aesthetic contouring, bone regeneration and laser treatment on its website as part of its periodontics service. The service page explains in which cases each one is indicated.
What to ask at the periodontal evaluation
- What is the likely cause of the recession? The answer shows whether correcting brushing technique is enough or whether periodontal disease must be treated first.
- Is the recession progressing or stable? A record with photos and measurements allows comparison over time.
- Is a graft needed, or is monitoring enough? The clinic states that the periodontist decides after the diagnosis.
- Which technique is proposed, and why? Cochrane does not declare a superior technique, so the reason for the choice matters.
- How will the result be maintained? The clinic’s website mentions a personalized periodontal maintenance program.
- What is the quote? The clinic gives the exact quote after the evaluation.
This content is informational and does not replace an evaluation by a dentist or periodontist.
Frequently asked questions
What causes receding gums?
There is no single cause. Reviews associate it with age, hygiene, brushing technique and force, bite interferences and anatomical factors, although studies proving causality are lacking.
Can receding gums be fixed?
Yes, according to the Dental Life website it has treatment, and the periodontist decides which applies after the diagnosis. It can range from monitoring and correcting habits to a gum graft, which covers exposed roots.
When is a gum graft needed?
When the periodontist considers it indicated after the diagnosis, for example to cover exposed roots or increase attached gum. Not every recession needs surgery.
Does a gum graft work?
Most root coverage procedures reduce recession, according to the 2018 Cochrane review. The certainty of the evidence is low or very low and it is not known with confidence which technique is the most effective.
Can orthodontics cause receding gums?
A 2026 narrative review links presurgical orthodontic decompensation before orthognathic surgery with periodontal risk at the lower incisors. The finding is from a specific group, and checking the gums before any orthodontic treatment is reasonable.
Related articles
- Gingivitis vs periodontitis: symptoms and treatment
- How often to get a dental cleaning
- Braces or Invisalign: which one fits the case
Sources
- Dental Life Panamá, periodontics and Dr. Mario Chalhoub’s profile: grafts, contouring, regeneration, laser and maintenance.
- Cochrane, Root coverage procedures for the treatment of localised and multiple recession-type defects, 2018.
- European Oral Research, Prevalence of gingival recession in university students: a systematic review, 2026 (PubMed).
- BMC Oral Health, combined periodontal-restorative treatment for gingival recession with non-carious cervical lesions, 2026 (PubMed).
- Cureus, periodontal outcomes in orthodontic patients with skeletal malocclusions undergoing orthognathic surgery, 2026 (PubMed).
- NHS, Gum disease: symptoms.
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