K06: Other disorders of gingiva and edentulous alveolar ridge

K06.0: Gingival recession

Every tooth consists of 3 sections: the crown, the tooth neck (cervix) and the tooth root. The crown is the visible part of the tooth. The tooth neck is covered by the gums. The tooth root keeps the tooth in the jawbone. The gums actually cover the sensitive tooth necks.

For example, the gums can be retracted when you grind your teeth severely or clean your teeth with the wrong technique.

If the tooth necks are exposed, they may be very sensitive to pain. If the gums retract very severely, the teeth may become loose.