Dr. John Chao discusses Pinhole Gum Rejuvenation on ABC 7 News Los Angeles.

"Anyone who has had gum grafting knows how painful the recovery can be," says dentist Dr. John Chao. His new treatment Pinhole Gum Rejuvenation™ can literally slide receding gums back into place with no cutting or stitches.

Online PR News – 01-August-2013 – Los Angeles, CA – Los Angeles, CA - “Susan” has a problem with receding gums, which affect 50% of the population at one time or another, according to dentist Dr. John Chao. "People from 18 to 80 can be affected, and up till now the standard treatment has been gum grafting surgery," says Dr. Chao. "Anyone who has undergone gum grafting knows that it can involve a painful recovery, problems with eating during the healing process and extended downtime."

Dr. Chao thought that there must be a better way to treat receding gums that wouldn’t be so painful. He has invented Pinhole Gum Rejuvenation™, a treatment that's minimally invasive and has patients out the door in the time it takes to have lunch. "The results are immediate, dramatic and requires no gum grafting. It's literally a Lunchtime Gum Lift," says Dr. Chao. He shows how the treatment works in this recent story on ABC News in Los Angeles: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA12Mm74u14

Susan, 39, has had receding gums for years - she’s even had several gum grafting surgeries which she says involved painful recoveries. She says her treatments didn’t work so well and her gums receded again. Now she will be having Pinhole Gum Rejuvenation™. In just minutes, Dr. Chao will literally move Susan’s gums back into proper position using special instruments which he has designed, all with no cutting, no stitches and no downtime. “It’s all done through a tiny pinhole which will disappear overnight,” says Dr. Chao. He is now in the process of teaching other dentists from around the world in the new technique. 

Dr. Chao is a dentist and instructor at USC Dental School who practices in the Los Angeles, CA area. A Study of the Pinhole Surgical Technique is published in the the October, 2012,  issue of The International Journal of Periodontics and Restorative Dentistry.

How it's done:
> The affected teeth are cleaned and the gums are numbed with a local anesthetic. A needle is used to make a tiny entry point (about the size of a ballpoint pen tip) in the gum above the tooth or teeth to be treated.

> A special dental instrument designed by Dr. Chao is inserted into the entry point and moved to free the gum tissue, then the gums are gently pushed down to position. 

> Dr. Chao then uses a small angled forceps, or “pliers” to pass several tiny collagen strips through the entry point and place them under the gums which help to keep the tissue in place as new collagen is formed by the body. This completes the procedure, which takes about half an hour to an hour, depending on the number of teeth treated. The small entry hole quickly heals and is virtually undetectable the next day.

“Excessive tooth brushing is a a major cause of receding gums,” says Dr. Chao. “The normal aging process and health problems are also factors which can cause the gums to recede."

Receding gums make anyone look older, cause tooth sensitivity and contribute to tooth loss. Women and men of all ages can be affected; the standard treatment has been gum grafting surgery, which requires a section of the roof of the mouth to be cut out and sewn into place to cover the receded areas. Because of the pain and trauma involved, most dentists can only treat one or two teeth at a time. then wait for the patient to heal before addressing any other teeth. For a patient with several recessions, the process could take months or even years. 

With Pinhole Gum Rejuvenation™, also known as the Pinhole Surgical Technique™, up to sixteen teeth can be done at the same time. The difference is huge - patients can literally go back to normal life and eat regular meals the next day. “I believe that most receding gums will be treated this way in the near future,” say Dr. Chao.

For more information on Pinhole Gum Rejuvenation, call (888) 603-2953 or visit http://www.pinholesurgicaltechnique.com.

Dr. John Chao is a leading dentist, educator and inventor. He practices in the Los Angeles, CA area.