[Periodontology and esthetics: the gingival recession]

Gingival recessions are regarded by many people as an esthetical problem. Successively the etiology, the significance and the indications for therapy are discussed. Different kinds of therapy such as oral hygiene instruction, the free gingival graft and various pedicle grafts are explained. Finally it is advocated that surgical kinds of therapy have to be applied with reservedness.