A gum graft is a surgical cosmetic dentistry procedure during which your periodontist takes synthetic tissue or tissue from your palate to replace gum tissue that is receding from your teeth. It is often used on patients with periodontal problems caused by: Severe gum disease. Vigorous brushing.
A gum graft is a type of dental surgery. It treats gum recession, a condition where your gums pull away from your teeth and expose the roots underneath. Exposed teeth roots increase your risk of tooth decay, sensitivity and bone loss around teeth.
Gum grafting is a dental procedure performed by a periodontist (a gum specialist). It's the recommended course of treatment for receding gums to avoid exposing the teeth' root surface that leads to decay and sensitivity.
Pinhole Surgical Technique
Next, your periodontist uses special instruments to loosen your gums and move them back to the appropriate position. This procedure has gained popularity due to it being far less invasive than traditional gum grafting, which in turn makes the recovery time significantly faster.
Gum grafts are commonly needed by patients with gingival recession, or receding gums, to preserve their oral health. In cases of gingival recession, a gum graft may be needed to cover the exposed teeth roots and correct pockets between the teeth and the gums.
The cost of gum grafting starts at $1200. There are other factors, like the severity, that may increase the cost. Remember, we have payment options available to suit your budget. Remember, your gums may recede over time so it's important to keep regular dental appointments so your dentist can keep track of this.
How long can I expect my gum graft to last? No matter the type of oral procedure, proper care and maintenance are necessary to ensure results last as long as possible. With a gum graft, you can expect it to remain in place for a lifetime, but you will need to take care of your oral health on a daily basis.
As most surgical procedures, gum grafting surgery implicates risk of infection, bleeding, and reaction to anesthesia. Besides, severe pain, bone rejection, inflammation, swelling, nerve injury, bacterial exposure of wounds, loose sutures, uneven healing, and more…
In some cases, it may be too late for gum grafting to save the gums. If your gums are severely damaged, receding so far back that they expose the tooth's root, or if there is significant bone loss from advanced gum disease, gum grafting may not be able to restore them to their healthy state.
Many patients will say it's about a 6-7 out of 10 on a 1-10 pain scale. The reason it's more painful is that they harvest the donor tissue from the surface of the roof of the mouth. This leaves the underlying gum tissues completely exposed and therefore in pain.
Someone whose gums are free of gum disease
If a gum graft is performed on unhealthy gums, then it is likely that the procedure will fail. Good gum health is essential to a successful gum grafting.
If you simply graft over the exposed root of a mis-positioned tooth, you will have a 100% failure rate. You haven't changed the conditions that led to recession in the first place. So, in these cases, your Dentist should first improve tooth position with conventional braces or Invisalign.
Gingivectomy: This cosmetic surgical procedure shortens exposed gums and lengthens your teeth to achieve a balanced smile. It improves the smile of people with gummy smiles (smiles that reveal too much gum area and lesser teeth).
About 15-20% of the patients ages 20-35 have some sort of gum recession and may require grafting. About 75% of people older than 50 will require some form of gum grafting due to age and normal chewing.
The right candidate for gum grafting
The ideal candidate for this type of procedure is one who has had severe periodontal disease around the gums and the teeth. This is the type of patient who would benefit from the procedure.
If you use your own tissue, the most teeth you can typically graft at once would probably be somewhere in the neighborhood of 7-8 teeth. With alloderm, you could graft every single tooth in your mouth in one sitting!
Gum veneers are used to cover unsightly gaps between teeth that have been subject to gingival and periodontal disease. Gum veneers are removable devices made of acrylic. The process can take a period of a few weeks to create.
During your gum graft surgery, you'll probably be awake like most people, or perhaps opt to be sedated. Most patients do not require anything more than local anesthetics to numb the area. Once the area is numb you will only feel slight applied pressure but will not feel pain or sharpness.
Sutures (stitches) may have been placed to hold the gums in the proper position for the ideal healing. Some sutures will dissolve on their own. Others will usually be removed 1-2 weeks after surgery depending on your procedure. Some may be left longer, depending on procedure.
On average, a gum graft can cost between $600 and $1,200 for a small area around one tooth. Dental insurance often covers at least part of the cost of a gum graft. If it is deemed medically necessary, medical insurance may provide some coverage for gum graft surgery as well since it is a surgical procedure.
Gums don't grow back on their own if you have severe gum recession, but gum grafting offers a solution. Gum grafting is an oral surgery during which we take tissue from elsewhere and rebuild your gums. Grafting encourages healthy tissue growth as your gums attach to the grafted tissue.
The suction that comes with using a straw poses a threat to blood clots inside the mouth. The pressure might cause the blood clot to tear open, exposing the wound again. Lack of clotting on the wound may result in a condition known as a dry socket. It usually occurs a few days after the procedure.
Pain. The area of the gum graft will be tender for a day or two, and sensitive to hot or cold drinks and hard foods for a several weeks afterward.
It will get red and puffy, then white or gray with sloughing for up to two weeks. The tissue will change to pink or the natural color of your gums as the area heals.
Gum tissue grafting is a permanent solution for tooth sensitivity caused by receding gums. The procedure builds up gum tissue to cover the most sensitive portions of your teeth, which makes it possible for you to enjoy your favorite foods, like ice cream or hot coffee, once more.