Surgical Approaches to Gingival Recession
Root coverage surgery is usually used in lieu of restorative cervical bonding of teeth with noncarious cervical lesions and shallow cervical caries. When a tooth needs root coverage and restorative treatment, restorative procedures should be performed first (if possible) to eliminate caries and stabilize the tooth. In cases involving partial or full veneers in the esthetic zone, preliminary restorative work can begin prior to, or 6 weeks following, root coverage therapy. Final margin placement and impression should not occur, however, until the soft tissue margin has completely stabilized—typically, after 6 months of healing. In cases involving high esthetic demand, it may be prudent to wait as long as 12 months prior to final restorations to allow complete remodeling of the soft tissue.