Receding gums given a lift with new procedure

Igor Silva says wearing braces and excessive brushing has made his grin a bit too toothy.

"I don't like the fact that it's receding and I can't really smile with confidence," Silva said.

But it's not only cosmetic issues he's worried about, his receding gum lines may lead to faster tooth decay. That's why he opted for a RejuvaGum Lift.

Dr. Alexandre Aalam, of the Center for Advanced Periodontal & Implant Therapy, and his wife Dr. Alina Krivitsy use a team approach to process blood in a way that separates red and white cells. What's left over is a concentrated fibrin clot packed with stem cells and wound-healing growth factors that is then surgically implanted into the gums above the problem areas.

"We're capturing all these growth cells and putting them into a tube and injecting them back onto your area," Aalam said.

With this procedure, patients use their own blood cells, which eliminates the chances for rejection or any infection. The technique has been used to strengthen cartilage and joints in sports medicine for years.

It's also less invasive than gum transplant surgery.

"Other doctors would definitely cut the roof of the mouth to get that piece of skin in order to place on the top of your gum line," Silva said.

"We're having patients literally take one ibuprofen the night of surgery and that's pretty much it," Krivitsy said.

Patients will have to eat soft foods for about a week and refrain from exercise, but most can return to their daily activities afterwards.

Any patient qualified for a gum transplant would be a good candidate for RejuvaGum Lift.

Igor says he's looking forward to his new smile.