Pedicle grafts. In this procedure, instead of taking tissue from the palate, it is grafted from gum around or near the tooth needing repair. The flap, called a pedicle, is only partially cut away so that one edge remains attached. The gum is then pulled over or down to cover the exposed root and sewn into place.
Typically, this tissue is taken from the roof of the mouth (“palatal tissue”) of the patient. However, there is another option, known as “donor tissue” grafting. With AlloDerm Gum Grafting, the tissue comes from a human donor, thus eliminating the need to remove palatal tissue from your own mouth.
There are four types of grafts that I primarily use: (1) connective tissue graft, (2) free soft tissue autogenous grafts, (3) double papillae subepithelial connective tissue grafts, and (4) pedicle grafts.
Free Gingival Graft
A technique that is used to cover the exposed tooth roots due to receding gum tissue around dental implants or natural teeth. This surgical procedure involves removing a piece of tissue from the roof of the mouth (palate) and placing it over the affected area and securing it with sutures.
There are many gum grafting techniques and materials available. Periodontists commonly take tissue from your palate (the roof of your mouth) and move it to the area of recession. In some cases, though, they may use a substitute grafting material, which they can purchase from a licensed bone and tissue bank.
The palate heals slower than the gum graft and takes six to eight weeks after surgery. You will feel a burning sensation for the first few days, and the discomfort lasts about 14 days. If swelling or tissue removal results in an exposed bone, the healing period may last longer than two months.
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.
Pedicle grafts.
In this procedure, instead of taking tissue from the palate, it is grafted from gum around or near the tooth needing repair. The flap, called a pedicle, is only partially cut away so that one edge remains attached. The gum is then pulled over or down to cover the exposed root and sewn into place.
Gingival grafts are used to stop recession and augment tissue to prevent recession around restorations,1 and to facilitate brushing when the tissue is thin, sore and receding. If not managed carefully, gingival grafts can be associated with complications and postoperative pain from the open palatal wound.
The tissue on your palate regenerates spontaneously within a few weeks. This gingival graft is performed by a periodontist, a dentist who specializes in oral health issues that impact the tooth's supportive structures.
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…
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
If the graft is from the roof of your mouth, patients typically describe the pain as similar to a hot pizza burn- but this can be avoided with closure of the donor site and coverage of the palate with a mouth guard.
Main disadvantage of free gingival graft is lack of predictability in terms of aesthetics.
The palate takes longer to heal than the gum graft and spans from six to eight weeks following the surgery. For the first few days you will experience a burning sensation and it will take about 14 days before the discomfort will stop.
Some dentists and periodontists offer sedation dentistry, which involves the use of general anesthesia or sedatives that allow you to sleep for the duration of your procedure. Sedation dentistry may be an ideal option for people who experience anxiety when going to the dentist, or who prefer to sleep during surgery.
All types of dental bone grafts are outpatient procedures that are performed while the patient is under sedation. This means that the procedure itself is simple and painless. As the graft heals, there may be minor discomfort at the beginning, but there should be no pain.
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.
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.
A gum graft not only makes a smile more proportionate, but it also looks completely natural. Once you fully recover from this restorative and cosmetic procedure, onlookers will not be able to tell that you have had some work done. Long-lasting results.