Chao Pinhole® Surgical Technique for Treating Gum Recession

A client consultation

Minimally Invasive Gum Recession Treatment

Gum recession not only ages a smile and face, it can also weaken your teeth, causing sensitivity, root damage and even tooth loss.

Traditional gum recession surgery involves a gum graft, where tissue is harvested from another area in the mouth and stitched into place to cover the receded areas. This type of surgery can only address a limited number of teeth per session, and the treatment sites take considerable time to heal. Our doctors offer a minimally invasive alternative with the Pinhole Surgical Technique (PST™).

PST is a comfortable, scalpel-free and suture-free technique for treating gum recession. If you have been avoiding treatment for gingival recession due to fear or inconvenience, this could be your ideal solution.

Chao pinhole logo

What Is the Pinhole Surgical Technique

With this procedure, Dr. Foisie makes a tiny “pinhole” opening near the area of recession and uses a special small hand tool to reposition existing tissue over the affected areas. Collagen strips are then placed under the gums for healing and support. You will experience immediate cosmetic benefits and can return to your normal routine the very same day!

Pinhole surgical technique illustration

Benefits include:

  • Minimally invasive alternative to traditional gum recession surgery
  • Ability to treat multiple areas at once
  • Fast healing and recovery time
  • Immediate cosmetic results
  • No cutting or stiches are required
  • No second surgical site is needed
  • Predictable and stable results
  • Creates a healthier, more attractive smile

Advanced Training and Experience You Can Trust

As a board-certified periodontist, Dr. Foisie is trained and highly knowledgeable in the Pinhole Surgical Technique as an alternative to more invasive, traditional gum surgery techniques. The long-term success of the treatment has been observed to last for years with uniformly excellent and predictable results.

Dr. Foisie headshot

Effective and Minimally Invasive Gum Restoring Procedure

Although you have the option to treat one area of your mouth at a time, with the Pinhole Surgical Technique, we are able to restore all your areas of recessed gum tissue in just one visit.

Treatment is performed with local anesthetic, and the average amount of time the entire treatment takes is just one to two hours. Typically, the only post-treatment medication you will need is perhaps a couple of Tylenol® to ease any minor discomfort.

In addition to being a very fast and minimally invasive treatment, the results are predictable and stable.

Doctor explanation of the pinhole surgical technique

We will explain all the details of the Pinhole Surgical Technique.

How the Pinhole Surgical Technique Works

First, any affected teeth are thoroughly cleaned and prepared by numbing the gum tissue with a local anesthetic. Next, a tiny, pinhole-sized entry point is made in the gum tissue above the affected tooth.

Dr. Foisie will then use a specially designed instrument to loosen the connective gum tissue in the area. The instrument gently repositions the gum tissue so that it covers the exposed tooth root, restoring the gums to their proper position.

Next, Dr. Foisie will carefully insert tiny collagen strips beneath the repositioned gum tissue. The collagen strips act as structural supports that help to stabilize the new position of the gums. Once this is done, the procedure is complete!

There is little to no postoperative discomfort, and, once finished, you are ready to smile again with confidence!

Call our closest office or click here to schedule an appointment.

Before and After

These patients regained their smiles with a beautiful gumline restored by Dr. Foisie, using the Chao Pinhole Technique.

Real Patient Stories

Real patient Katie
“The entire staff at River Valley Periodontics always makes an effort to put me at ease and make sure I am comfortable. I especially like the friendly, top-notch doctors here!”
Katie
Chao Pinhole Surgical Technique