It is a quick and relatively simple surgery in which a periodontist removes healthy gum tissue from the roof of the mouth and uses it to build the gum back up where it has receded.
While a gum graft procedure isn't considered major surgery, it does require some recovery time and short-term modifications to your diet. The procedure typically takes tissue from the roof of the mouth, also known as the palate. The healthy tissue is attached to the location where dead and diseased tissue was removed.
Every person heals differently. But on average, gum graft recovery takes one week to two weeks. If you had multiple areas treated at once, recovery might take a little longer. Your periodontist can tell you what to expect.
The level of pain you experience will also vary depending upon what type of gum graft you have performed. If no tissue is removed from your palate, you will likely not experience much discomfort at all; however, if tissue is removed, you should plan on some mild to moderate discomfort following the procedure.
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.
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.
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.
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.
When can I eat my regular diet after a gum graft? Typically, your gum graft should heal within 14 days. After that, you can resume eating as you wish.
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…
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.
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.
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.
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.
The base cost of a gum graft can be between $600 and $1200 per tooth. A periodontist is a specialist so is likely to have a higher fee. Donor tissue is more expensive than tissue that is harvested from the roof of your mouth.
There is nothing scary about gum grafting
There is no need to be scared of getting a gum graft. An anesthetic is usually administered at the start of the treatment, so there is no pain involved. Most patients only deal with mild soreness and discomfort afterward.
Gum graft surgery is usually performed under local anesthesia, so you will be awake during the procedure but should not feel any pain.
It is not uncommon to experience nausea following periodontal surgery. The cause of the irritation is usually either the pain medication or the blood that was swallowed during the procedure. Nausea as a result of blood should be of short duration.
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. This means brushing with a soft-bristled toothbrush and being mindful of how much pressure you're using while brushing.
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 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.
Potential complications of gum graft surgery
If the procedure was handled by a skilled and experienced dentist, the gum graft procedure is totally safe and the complications are minimal. Potential complications that could occur due to the procedure include severe swelling, infections, uneven healing and loose sutures.
Mild cases of gum recession may be improved with nonsurgical treatments, such as topical antibiotics, dental bonding or orthodontics. In most instances, however, gum recession surgery is needed to fully correct the problem.
As your gums heal, they absorb the tissue graft, growing new tissue around the surgery site and strengthening your gumline.