FAQs About Gum Grafting

When your gums get infected with gum disease, they may recede. Also, aggressive teeth brushing and orthodontic treatment like implants may cause gum thinning. If the gums continue thinning, the teeth roots may be exposed, resulting in tooth sensitivity or decay. In such cases, consider undergoing a gum graft. Here are important gum grafting facts that provide fundamental information regarding the treatment.

What Does Gum Grafting Entail?

Typically, a gum graft restores health to damaged gums. The treatment entails obtaining tissue from the roof of the mouth or other healthy gum tissues. After tissue harvesting, the periodontist attaches the newly harvested tissue to the thinned gum.

What Gum Grafting Treatment Should I Get?

You can access various gum grafting treatments, and your dentist will advise you on the best treatment, but the decision depends on the degree of gum recession. Here are some other treatments for gum disease:

• Connective tissue graft: During this treatment, the dentist cuts a small area on your mouth's top and collects some connective tissues, which they attach to the damaged gum.
• Free gingival graft: The process entails obtaining palate tissue and placing it on thinned gum tissues to restore good gum health.
• Pedicle graft: The process involves harvesting tissue near the thinned gums. Periodontists consider this gum graft as having a high success rate since there's no cutting off of blood flow within the gum tissue. However, the graft works best if the recession isn't extensive and you still have some healthy gum tissue.
• Alternative grafting: This gum graft is ideal in extreme gum recession cases where harvesting healthy palate tissue may pose a health risk. In such cases, periodontists use alternative grafts like porcine or cadaver tissue. However, periodontists must ascertain that the tissue is compatible with your gum tissue before grafting.

What Does Gum Grafting Post-Op Care Entail?

To heal quickly after a gum graft, proper care of the wound is necessary. You should avoid hard foods to prevent damage to the grafted gums. Additionally, take the medication the dentist gives you for pain relief and inflammation reduction. Antibiotic treatment also helps to avoid reinfection of the gums.

Most importantly, attend all your follow-up appointments where your dentist will monitor the healing progress. If there's an infection, the periodontist can spot the signs early and stop the spread of the infection. This intervention allows for proper and quick recovery.

These FAQs explain what gum graft treatment entails, the various treatment options available, and the care required following gum grafting. With such information, you should now confidently undergo gum grafting